Immunizations do not cause SIDS. Statements imp

licating immunizations as a causing factor for SIDS is unproved and false. The cause for this unfortunate bad press is coincidental: the peak period of SIDS (which is the colder months) occurs at the same time that babies get there shots. While many babies dying of SIDS have no previous warning signs or risk factors, some infants seem to be at higher risk than others. The term “risk factor” refers to some element in the baby’s environment or development that increases the chances of dying of SIDS (Sears 17). For example infant’s whose mothers smoke prenatal or postnatal have higher risk of dying of SIDS than babies of mothers whom do not smoke (Sears 18). This does not mean that SIDS is common among children of smokers. Though more babies of smokers die from SIDS than non-smokers. Infants at higher risk of SIDS include: premature infants, mothers who smoked or took illegal drugs during pregnancy, infants whose parents smoked around them after birth, infants who are not breastfed, infants of mothers with little or no prenatal care and those from poor socioeconomic environment (Sears 19). Other risk factors include multiple births, prematurely born infants, siblings of SIDS victims, infants with central hypertension, infants of mothers who are narcotic addicts or who smoke during pregnancy, young maternal age, short intervals between pregnancies and late prenatal care (SIDS). While SIDS shows an increase in these factors the importance of each factor is not well defined or understood. The incidence is 2 out of 1,000 live births or about 7,000 infants annually (SIDS).

SIDS is much more likely to happen to babies born into disadvantaged homes. There is a variety of reasons for this: Disadvantaged mothers are less likely to give their babies a healthy womb environment in which to develop; their babies are less likely to be breastfed or receive adequate medical care; and their infants are more likely to be exposed to unsafe sleeping practices (the majority of infant deaths caused by unsafe sleeping environments are from homes with substandard living conditions). If social conditions were improved, SIDS incidence could be lowered in economically or socially disadvantaged families. While inadequate mothering is certainly not the cause of SIDS, it may be a contributing factor in those infants already at physiological risk (Sears 54). SIDS is higher among infants with less skilled mothers. An interesting study in Sheffield, England, showed that improving mothering skills decreased the risk of SIDS (Sears 54). Researchers selected a group of high-risk-for-SIDS infants from a total of 15,000 babies. They divided these high-risk babies into two groups: one group received extra postnatal follow-up exams and biweekly home visits by a public health nurse. The second group received no special attention. The mothers in the special-attention group also received education in mothering skills, nutrition, hygiene, and recognizing when their infants were sick. The rate of SIDS was more than three times higher in the group who received no special attention. 10.6 per thousand compared to 3.2 per thousand in the special attention group. Some states are finally paying attention to the fact that healthy mothers are more likely to deliver healthy babies (Sears 54). If your baby displays any symptom associated with increased worry of SIDS (usually, an observed, prolonged apneic episode, a stop-breathing episode accompanied by a low heart rate alarm in the newborn nursery or witnessed by parents or caregiver while ba

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