Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant under one year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history."[1] (Willinger et al, 1991). It's hard to believe but there are some things we, as parents and caregivers, may be able to do to help avoid SIDS by reducing some of the factors which may lead to SIDS. 

The first rule in avoiding SIDS that doctors advise is for parents and caregivers to place babies to sleep on their backs at all times.  Because babies may wake and cry more frequently when placed on their backs to sleep, parents may wonder if they are doing the right thing by not placing babies on their stomachs.  But placing baby tummy-side down may make your baby more difficult to arouse when waking--even though a baby may cry less frequently and wake up less often during sleep time.

Betty McEntire, Ph.D., of the American Institute for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, says, "Infants are more likely to have apnea (pauses in breathing) when on their stomachs. They are also more likely to re-breathe the air they have just exhaled, which can raise their levels of carbon dioxide. The increased retention of body heat can also be dangerous for some infants. But more convincing than any other fact is that belly-sleep has up to 12.9 times the risk of death as back-sleep*."[2]

According to some statistical resources, "SIDS was responsible for 0.543 deaths per 1,000 live births in the US in 2005.[3]  While SIDS is responsible for many fewer deaths than congenital disorders and disorders related to short pregnancies, it is the main cause of death in healthy infants over one month of age. In 2009, the U.S. SIDS rate was 0.55 per 1,000 live births.

Factors that may contribute to SIDS are wide ranging and appear to include the infant's sex and age, as well as possibly ethnicity, and education and socio-economic-status of the infant's parents. There are also physiological risk factors, according to The Journal of the American Medical Association, including low birth weight, premature birth, whether a child is breastfed or not. There are some risk factors parents and caregivers can control, such as whether there is excess bedding or too soft a sleep surface, the presence of stuffed animals in the infant's crib or bed, exposure to tobacco smoke, co-sleeping with siblings or parents, even the prevalence of mold in the home which causes flu- or asthma-like symptoms in an infant. 

An infant is at the highest risk of SIDS from birth to four months of age; the risk decreases after infants attain one year of age. As parents and caregivers, paying attention to how and where babies sleep is first and foremost. Parents and caregivers should check on sleeping babies regularly and eliminate risk factors within their control. Certainly there are medical factors that parents cannot always control. Also, as conscientious caregivers, we need to do our homework when looking for daycare for infants to make sure risk factors are not present. In short, we need to be careful and watchful of our precious infants at all times.                          

Most of America is just about to head into the most intense holiday season of the year.  There will be shopping, meal preparation, decoration--and a lot of perspiration--by parents of infants and young children. Especially for young parents who work, whether in or out of the home, the next two weeks may be as chaotic and frenzied as they are joyful. So, in addition to the preparation for festivities and the hustling and bustling that make holidays not only fun, but a challenge to get done, there are safety concerns.  How can we as busy parents think and do all of the things we need to do to keep our young ones safe at this time of year--the task is daunting!

Having a safe and happy holiday involves a broad spectrum of concerns for parents of young children.  Parents are nothing less than super heroes protecting their children from so many factors, including exposure to winter weather, worrying whether they are warm enough or if they have wet or cold feet, whether their heads are covered, if they are getting enough fresh air and exercise, whether they are resting well or if they are consuming enough healthy food so they maintain good health throughout the holidays. Add to that crucible of concerns things that families do over the holiday season, such as family traveling, attending group activities, going shopping, holding family get-togethers, participating in religious and civic functions, and don't forget the flu season.  These positive and negative stresses impact young children's holiday seasons as well as our own.  And chaos is contagious!

As parents and caregivers, remember that young children tend to reflect what we are doing or are experiencing at the moment.  With the economy full of uncertainty, children are bound to absorb the free-floating negative feelings as well as positive ones. Economic fears and frustrations are part of many families' lives this holiday season, so we need to be attentive to our own emotions and how we express ourselves--even taking care with the tone of voice we use when we speak with our children and others in front of children.  We need to make sure our kids are safe and feel safe.

Being aware of children's excitement levels and feelings, as well as our own, will help everyone have a safe and memorable holiday time. Holiday traditions, as wonderful and fulfilling as they can be, often come with emotional baggage from past holidays. Parents need to make an effort not to unload their own grown-up cares on children.  Creating and fostering good memories gives young children another gift they can carry for a lifetime--which is a lot better than having them remember you fighting with your mother-in-law or going bonkers over tangled tree lights.  Less frenzy and chaos also allow you as a parent and caregiver to think and react properly in a crisis, if there should be one.

If as parent and caregiver you have so many things you must do during the holidays, you need to revise your schedule to make time to be with your children. Carve out some personal time every day for you and your child, so your young child continues to know you care and feels secure. Whether the time you spend with them is just before they go to bed or is during a meal you share, let them know you are not too busy to listen to or just be with them. That extra time you spend with them is a gift.

Underwriters Laboratories has some practical holiday safety fire tips for parents too, and we cannot restate these often enough as they help save lives:

• Make sure fireplace mantles are clear of all decorations before any fire is lighted.
• If a fireplace or woodstove is used, make sure to use the fire screen and shut woodstove doors.
• Make sure chimneys are free of debris and hearths are clean before lighting a new fire.
• Never burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. This can create sparks that cause house fires.
• If you use space heaters, move them at least 3 feet (36 inches) away from anything that can burn, such as curtains, dresser scarves, table cloths, etc.
• Never leave a space heater on when you go to bed or leave the house.
• Never place anything on top of a space heater to dry!
• Check all electrical outlets to make sure they are not overloaded.
• Never run an extension cord under a rug or tack it to a wall with a nail or staple.
• Make sure not to use any cord that is frayed or if the plug is damaged in any way.
• Look for the UL symbol on the electrical cord to make sure it is rated for indoor or outdoor safe use.

Many home fires over the holidays are caused by burning candles--so please to avoid home fires, simply do the following:

• Move candles away from anything that can burn.
• Make sure to blow out candles if you leave a room or go to bed.
• Store all matches away from where children can get to them.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended.

Childsafetyblog.org wishes you the happiest, healthiest and safest of holiday seasons!

ChildSafetyBlog.org would like to share with you two recent recalls of products that may be fire hazards and offer you a few tips for a fire-free holiday season. 

Here are two items people may have purchased recently to "light up" their holidays which could turn the happy holidays into unexpected disasters:

ForeverGlo™ Cylinder Nightlights--AmerTac of Saddle River, New Jersey, has just voluntarily recalled 272,000 ForeverGlo™ cylinder (model no. 71107) nightlights. Manufactured in China, the nightlights were imported and have been sold for about $5 at hardware stores and lighting fixture showrooms from May 2009 through September 2010. They are a fire hazard! If you have one of these nightlights presently in use, remove it from the wall socket and contact the company for a full refund on (800) 420-7511 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.

Silver Metallic Pillar Candles manufactured by General Wax and Candle Company of North Hollywood, California.  General Wax and Candle Company, in conjunction with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has recalled approximately 12,000 of these candles which have been sold exclusively at Bed, Bath and Beyond stores throughout the United States during the months of October and November 2010 for from $8 to $10. The candles display the UPC code 86718 56082 or 86718 56092 on the bottom of the candle.  If you have purchased one of these candles, do not use it, as it is a fire hazard, but contact General Wax and Candle Company for a full refund at (800) 543-0642 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT, Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.generalwaxbbbrefund.com

Holiday Decorations and Trees - When purchasing live trees and holiday greenery, parents need to be sure to check for freshness.  CPSC.gov advises "A fresh tree is green, its needles are hard to pull from branches, and its needles do not break when bent between your fingers. The bottom of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles."  If the tree is too dry, it can be a fire hazard. If you place a  live tree in your home, make sure to keep it hydrated (by adding water daily to the well in the stand) and when Christmas is over, please safely dispose of your Christmas tree before it becomes too dry!

Holiday trees and decorations in the home need to be placed away from fireplaces, vents and other heat sources such as radiators.  Instead of hanging gift stockings from the mantle--fill them with goodies, and place them under the tree!

Be sure to use only Christmas tree lights that have been tested for safety.  Look for the safety test (UL) tag on the cord!  Check each set of lights to be used on your tree for broken or cracked sockets and burned out bulbs that need to be replaced.  Check cords for frayed or broken wires or plugs.  Discard light sets that are damaged in any way.  If you use extension cords, make sure they are safety tested as well and in good shape. When using lights for outdoor decoration, make sure they are certified for outdoor use!

If you burn candles this holiday season, make sure to extinguish them before leaving the house or going to bed. Make sure they are not within reach of small children or pets! Make sure all candles are placed on stable, heat-resistant surfaces and are away from items that could catch fire easily, such as evergreens, trees, decorations, and curtains.

ChildSafetyBlog wishes you the merriest and safest of holiday seasons!

Thanksgiving is over and that other harbinger of the holiday season has arrived! Holiday decorations have suddenly appeared in and on homes.  In shopping malls and stores everywhere, there are colorful displays of children's toys and family gifts in every shape and size. From Frosty to Santa to Rudolph and the Grinch--the gang's all here!  And the shopping has begun from "Black Friday" to the day after "Cyber Monday" and on, people and their children are shop-shop-shopping!

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children advises us that amid all the holiday excitement parents need to focus especially on the safety of their children while they shop--whether kids are in strollers or carriages, in infant and car seats, or simply walking on a crowded sidewalk or in the mall beside Mom, Dad, other family members, and caregivers.  Here are some of their latest tips on safe shopping with children:

Parents, first and foremost, know where your kids are!  Don't let the zeal for a particular gift or bargain distract you from knowing where your children are or are intending to go. You need to make sure the youngest ones are with you at all times while you are shopping. 

Before your shopping trip, make sure especially young children know their full name and address.  Make sure your kids have identification in the pocket of their clothes and that you have current photos of them.

While shopping, always accompany children to public facilities, especially public bathrooms, and stay with them! 

Teach your children to look for people who can help in the event you become separated, such as a uniformed security officer, salesperson or a mother with children. 

Make sure your children know where to meet at a designated spot if you become separated. Tell your children not to leave the store or area where you became separated.

Do not leave children in stores expecting supervision by store employees while you shop!  Store employees take breaks, change shifts, may be reassigned to other areas and leave for lunch, and then WHO is watching them? Put simply, expecting store employees to fulfill your responsibility to watch out for your kids is inappropriate and doesn't work.

Do not take children shopping if you feel that you are going to be distracted for any reason. Call your child care provider or your regular babysitter ahead of time.

Never allow young children to shop on their own (no matter what they are shopping for, i.e., gifts for you or other family members). 

Never drop off older children at a shopping mall without everyone understanding what time, by whom, and where they will be picked up--and what the procedure is if there is a change in plan.

Do not dress your children in clothing or jewelry that displays their first or whole names--as this makes it easier for them to receive unwelcome attention.

Discourage your children from becoming too friendly with other shoppers while you are shopping and to focus on the shopping at hand. 

 One more tip from a recent personal experience, frustrated shoppers are nothing for children or adults to tangle with at holiday time. Last weekend, I visited a local department store to purchase a pair of shoes, and was surprised to see a young child using the try-on area of the shoe department as her play area. She had monopolized the entire shoe try-on area with 20 pairs of shoes and boxes lined up for her play. The child's parent was seemingly invisible and the shoe shoppers didn't know quite what to do or where to go to try on shoes. Find the parent? Talk to the department head? Take a lesson from this. Don't let your child become a "nuisance" to other shoppers in a store. Always keep them with you even in the try-on booth and away from others.  Frustrated shoppers are nothing for children to tangle with, during holidays or any other time!

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With grateful thanks to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for the tips and all they do to keep kids safe!