Brain Defects Linked to Sudden Infant Death Cases, Study

Counsel & Heal ^ | Nov 12, 2013 | Kamal Nayan

[fruser1]

Infants dying unexpectedly and suddenly in their sleep might have underlying abnormalities in their brain stems, a new research finds.

Around 50 infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were reviewed upon by the researchers.

In some of the reviewed cases few infants died because of asphyxia. Asphyxia is condition when oxygen intake is restricted. Most possible causes for this condition is unsafe sleeping conditions like sleeping face down in pillow. Reasons of few other infant deaths turned out to be unclear as sleep environment was completely safe so there would not have asphyxia.

Babies who died in unsafe sleep environments as well as in safe sleep environments showed abnormalities in brain stem chemicals. Researchers concluded that such brain abnormalities prevent babies from waking up when they feel insufficient oxygen for breathing.

“Even the infants dying in unsafe sleep environments had an underlying brain-stem abnormality that likely made them vulnerable to sudden death, if there was any degree of asphyxia,” study researcher Dr. Hannah Kinney, a neuropathologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, said in a statement.

...

“Certainly, there are unsafe sleeping environments that can cause any baby to die, such as entrapment in the crib, but if it’s just sleeping face down, the baby who dies may have an underlying brainstem vulnerability,” said Kinney according to Science World Report.

“We have to find ways to test for this underlying vulnerability in living babies and then to treat it. Our team is focused now upon developing such a test and treatment.Safe sleep practices absolutely remain important, so these infants are not put in a potentially asphyxiating situation that they cannot respond to.”

The findings are published in the journal Pediatrics.

[fruser1]

What?! I thought SIDS was caused by 2nd hand smoke? (sarc)

[Sacajaweau]

This might sound way out...but I believe the baby should be in contact with “mom” and her heartbeat in the early months...say three months.

[Bigg Red]

Thanks for posting this.

It infuriates me to see how the current crop of parents has had the medical community scare the clinton out of them over SIDS. They have given them stupid rules about putting them to bed on their backs, not letting a newborn sleep in the parents’ bed, and not letting the baby have a blanket.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Sacajaweau, I am sure you are right about physical contact with the mother.

All of a newborn baby's internal regulatory systems are still tied in with the mother's. Proprioception, muscle tone, blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature (warmth), kinesthetic sense, all of these are significantly dependent upon body-to-body contact.

Best if it's with the mother: these particular, personal bodily rhythms are most trust-building and most strengthening.

But if the mother can't do it for whatever reason, the father or the grandma or somebody had better do it. Your newborn needs to be hugged up to your chest.

A. LOT.

Just to get the beat!

[Born to Conserve]

Our kids all slept face down. They don’t have a brain defect. They now have symmetrical dolichocephalic heads, not the lopsided brachycephalic heads infants get from sleeping on their backs. My kids also eat peanut butter, oh the horrors.