SIDS
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is one of the most anxiety-provoking topics facing new parents. While the exact causes of SIDS remain unknown, health experts have a number of educated guesses as to what might contribute to the sudden and unexpected death of young infants. There are a few standard suspects, most of which have to do with lack of oxygen. These range from the obvious, such as cigarette smoke, to the more insidious, such as over-dressing a sick child. There are also known risk factors, such as premature birth.
One of the most widely discussed preventative measures is placing babies on their backs rather than on their stomachs when sleeping. Britain pioneered back-sleeping and the dramatic drop in SIDS that followed caused a slew of other countries, including the United States, to follow suit. But the fact that no one knows for certain why SIDS occurs means that there are a few wild theories out there ("SIDS is caused by toxins in your mattress!") Even highly trusted sources have diametrically opposed recommendations: Dr. Sears advocates co-sleeping while the AAP discourages that same practice. In the end, it's up to parents to weigh all the contradictory advice, trusting common sense.
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