Safely sleeping on her back

A simple fan running in a baby’s bedroom may help lower the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

The cause of SIDS is still a medical mystery although theories abound. Doctors have advised parents and baby care providers to ensure that babies sleep on their backs — not on their stomachs. This has helped immensely, and deaths due to SIDS have gone down to 0.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is half of the 1992 rate.

But SIDS is still the leading cause of death in infants between one month and 12 months old. About 2,500 babies die each year in the U.S. due to SIDS. While doctors are still researching its cause, others are looking for ways to prevent SIDS from happening.

Fans running in a room with a sleeping baby have never entered the picture as a possible means to prevent SIDS — until now.

The researchers at Kaiser Permanent Division of Research found that in rooms where a fan was running, there was 72% lower risk of babies dying from SIDS. The study involved detailed interviews on nearly 500 mothers, which included 185 moms whose infants had been SIDS victims.

It appeared that fans were even more beneficial to infants sleeping in rooms with temperatures 69 degrees and higher. The researchers ruled out opening of windows in warm rooms as a contributory factor.

Pediatricians advise parents to have babies sleep on their backs for one fundamental reason: the neck muscles are still undeveloped and very weak, making them unable to turn their heads to look for fresh air. What’s difficult to do in an upright position becomes impossible when prone.

The researchers could not pinpoint the exact reason fans appeared to help, but they suspect it is due to better air circulation in the room.

One suspected cause of SIDS is rebreathing. This refers to babies breathing in a pocket of carbon dioxide they had previously breathed out; the stale air gets trapped in the gap between the sheets and the baby’s face (especially in those lying on their stomachs). It is possible the fans prevent rebreathing from happening.

Another pediatrician believes fans may help because they address overheating of air around the infant, which is also a risk factor.

More studies are definitely needed to confirm the findings. Two things can be safely concluded so far:

* Fans help prevent SIDS.

* It is not safe to have the baby sleep on its stomach even with the use of fans.

Safety Tips:

* Never smoke when there’s a baby around.

* Always have babies sleep on their backs.

* Avoid putting things inside the crib with the baby. This includes stuffed animals, loose blankets, and pillows.

* Use a pacifier. Pacifiers can help, but make sure the baby is at least 2 weeks old and already breastfeeding.