DEFINITION
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is an infant deaths that
occur suddenly, unexpectedly, usually during sleep, in which apparently healthy
infants, where the post-death examination did not show any obvious cause of
death.
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) occurs worldwide and is
one of the most frequent causes of death in infants aged 2 weeks to 1 year.
SIDS is most common when the baby is 2-4 months old.
CAUSE
The cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is not yet
known. SIDS may be caused by an interruption in breathing. Some babies with
SIDS showing signs of low oxygen levels in the blood and experiencing periods
of stopping breathing.
A combination of physical and environmental factors can make
a baby bed more susceptible to SIDS. These factors can vary from one child to
another child.
- Physical factors, which include:
·
Brain abnormalities. Some babies are born with
disorders that make them more susceptible to SIDS. In many cases, parts of the
brain that controls breathing and waking from sleep does not work well.
·
Low birth weight. Premature babies or babies
born twins have the possibility of brain development are not perfect, so the
baby is less able to control automated processes in breathing and heartbeat.
·
Respiratory tract infection. Many babies who
died of SIDS had previously experienced respiratory tract infection (eg common
cold), which may contribute to the occurrence of respiratory problems.
- Environmental factors bed
The baby's position while sleeping or objects contained in
the baby's crib may be related to physical factors infants and can increase the
risk of SIDS, for example:
·
Sleeping prone or inclined. The babies were
positioned prone or tilted during sleep can be harder to breathe than babies
put to sleep supine.
·
Sleeping on a soft surface. If the baby prone on
a padded mat or on a waterbed, then the baby's airway can be obstructed.
Likewise, if the baby's head is covered by a blanket or if at the time of
sleeping baby's face facing a soft mattress or pillow.
·
Sleeping with parents. SIDS risk can be reduced
if the baby sleep in the same room with their parents, but if the baby sleep in
the same bed with their parents, then the risks of SIDS increases. This is
caused by the presence of more surface soft / soft, which can interfere with
the baby in breathing. Sleep with your baby on a soft sofa also increases the
risk of SIDS.
·
The temperature is too hot. Swaddle the baby in
excess, using a blanket as much, or increase the room temperature can increase
metabolic rate and the infant can occur in regulating airway disorders.
However, it is not yet clear if the temperature is too hot a single factor or a
reflection of the use of clothing or a blanket that is too much that can
obstruct the airway.
The risk factors of SIDS:
- Premature babies, twin, or small at birth
- Infants who require resuscitation
- Infants with upper respiratory tract infections
- Erasal from poor families
- Mothers who are single parents
- Mothers aged less than 20 years
- Mothers who smoke or use drugs while pregnant
- Babies are born with short distances with a previous
pregnancy
- Less care during pregnancy
- A baby who has a brother who had also died of SIDS
- Babies who sleep prone
- Babies who sleep in the same bed with parents
- Lots of soft goods in a crib (blankets, pillows, dolls, or
clothing)
- Are in an environment that is much smoke, either in the
womb or after birth
- The male sex (male infants have a risk of Sidh
approximately 50% higher than female infants)
SYMPTOMS
There are no symptoms that precede the occurrence of SIDS,
babies die suddenly.
DIAGNOSIS
If an apparently healthy infant suddenly died and the
autopsy did not show any obvious cause of death, the baby was diagnosed with
SIDS.
Diagnosis is made after the examination after death
(autopsy) to rule out other possible causes (for example, bleeding inside the
head, or inflammation of the lining of the brain). In addition, it should be
ensured that the baby did not die because they were killed or persecuted (eg
due to smothering or strangulation).
TREATMENT
Most parents who lost their children due to SIDS feel very
distressed and was not ready. They usually feel guilty and may be traumatized
as a result of the investigation conducted by the police, social workers, or
other. For that, they need emotional support and counseling from the physician
so that parents can be helped to cope with the tragedy they experienced.
Support from groups who have had similar experiences may help. In addition,
there may be a good idea if the parents are planning to have more children.
PREVENTION
Although known risk factors for SIDS, there is no sure way
to prevent the occurrence of SIDS. However, there are several ways you can do
to help reduce the risk of SIDS, namely:
- Position your baby to sleep on her back (either during the
day or night)
- Lay the baby on the hard bedding
- Do not place soft objects around the baby during sleep
(eg, blankets, pillows, or toys)
- Provide special bed baby, so the baby to sleep separately
from their parents or other children, but still be near parents
- Do not smoke around the baby, or during pregnancy
- Do not swaddle the baby in excess, do not let your baby
overheat during sleep
- Give the baby teats clean and dry when the baby to sleep
To help prevent a flat surface impact to the head of the
baby, then the baby should lie on her back a few times when the baby is awake
and supervised. Additionally, to help keep baby's head shape to be circular,
then the baby lying direction should always be changed.
REFERENCE
- Mayo Clinic. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sidh). 2011.
- P, David. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sidh). 2013.
- P, Elizabeth J. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sidh). Merck
Manual Handbook. 2012.
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