SIDS Through the Eyes of Experts
SIDS Through the Eyes of Experts
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is every parent's nightmare. It is an infant death known as “crib death.” It occurs unexpectedly, without any symptoms or warning signs. It affects infants between two and four months of age, yet its cause remains unknown to this day.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, known as SIDS, is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant during sleep in the crib. In Slovakia this diagnosis is rare and its incidence has fallen below 0.2‰, but it still requires the utmost vigilance. SIDS is a race against time in which every second counts.
“Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant during sleep that cannot be explained even after a post-mortem examination. It is often preceded by a life-threatening episode called ALTE (Apparent Life–Threatening Event), during which it is still possible to help the baby. In this state, the infant is pale, sometimes even cyanotic, not breathing, and may show drifting eye movements and low muscle tone, making the baby resemble a rag doll,” explains pediatrician MUDr. Monika Michňová.
SIDS threatens infants under one year of age.
SIDS is a high-risk diagnosis for infants under one year of age, but it most commonly affects babies between 2 and 4 months old. And although the exact cause of SIDS remains unknown, age does not appear to be the only determining factor: “It is assumed that SIDS has a multifactorial origin. In Slovakia, for example, there is a higher incidence of SIDS among the Roma population and in families facing poorer social conditions. Several cases also come from smoking households or families where mothers were younger and babies had lower birth weight,” explains Dr. Michňová, outlining potential risk factors.
Not all forms of SIDS are immediately life-threatening. Some babies experience only so-called apnoea pauses, which represent a subtle and less noticeable form of this dangerous syndrome.
Prevention involves more than just a breathing monitor
SIDS is an extremely unpredictable diagnosis, yet several measures are known to reduce the risk of its occurrence.
“In terms of prevention, the safest sleeping position for a baby is on their back. The baby should sleep in their own crib with a sheet firmly secured on a firm mattress. The crib should be empty — without pillows, blankets, toys, or stuffed animals. Proper room temperature and a smoke-free environment are essential. Additional protective factors include using a sleep sack, breastfeeding, and using a breathing monitor,” the pediatrician warns.
A breathing monitor is a particularly practical tool in the fight against SIDS. It monitors the baby’s breathing, and if breathing suddenly stops, it emits a loud and piercing alarm, giving parents the chance to react quickly and address the situation in time.
Although most mothers today are familiar with breathing monitors, there are still some who hear about them for the first time — or simply cannot afford to buy one. To raise awareness about how this medical device works, as well as about SIDS itself, the non-governmental non-profit organisation Nadácia Križovatka, has been working in Slovakia since 2008.
Through its project “Mamička, dýcham” (“Mommy, I’m breathing”), the organisation aims to equip not only premium hospital rooms but all beds in maternity and neonatology wards across Slovakia with breathing monitors.
“In this project, we also focus on setting up and running lending points located directly in maternity and neonatal departments of Slovak hospitals. Thanks to these centres, parents can borrow a breathing monitor to take home when they leave the hospital — allowing even families who cannot afford to purchase one to sleep peacefully,” says Táňa Tomasch, Director of Nadácia Križovatka.
What to do if an ALTE occurs and SIDS is a risk?
If an ALTE episode does occur, the most important thing is to keep a “cool head” and respond correctly and promptly. “In such cases, the baby should be assisted appropriately by starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation,” emphasizes Dr. Michňová. “If proper and, above all, rapid first aid is provided, children affected by this problem remain without permanent consequences.”
However, if SIDS has already occurred in the family, heightened vigilance is necessary. Siblings of children who have died from SIDS or experienced an ALTE require extra caution and monitoring. There is a real risk that if SIDS affected one child, it could also affect other children in the family. “Parents of these children should definitely use an apnea monitor,” advises pediatrician Michňová.
A Real Mother’s Story
If the sound of a breathing monitor wakes you at night, try (even though it is difficult) to keep a cool head and gather the last bits of composure you have. This is the moment when there is no time for panic, because the only thing that matters is fighting for your child’s life!
A very similar experience was lived by Jana Malaga, founder of the Slovak content agency Content Agency and now a mother of two beautiful boys. Her older son, Riško, experienced a breathing stoppage on the third day after they returned home from the maternity hospital. “If the breathing monitor hadn’t woken us up at three in the morning, I don’t know what would have happened…,” says Jana Malaga with gratitude in her voice.
Photo: Kristína Botlová
She admits that, although the breathing monitor was part of their newborn essentials, she and her husband did not assign it any special importance. “Together with my husband, we viewed the breathing monitor more as a practical use of technology. While I considered anything that helps monitor the baby’s condition a necessary part of the kit, I saw it more as a given. Other family members also used it with the children, so I never really thought twice about buying it. Never in my dreams did I imagine we would actually need it,” says Janka, vividly recalling the night when she and her husband were gripped by the fear of losing their firstborn son.
Neither of them will likely ever forget the moment the piercing sound of the breathing monitor broke the silence of the night. The alert occurred just three days after Janka and Riško returned home from the maternity hospital. “At three in the morning, the breathing monitor indicated that Riško wasn’t breathing,” recalls Jana Malaga.
When you hear the alarm of a breathing monitor, there is neither time nor space to think about what is happening. Immediate action is necessary! In the event of respiratory arrest, every second counts, and the quicker you respond, the greater the chance of saving your baby.
Photo: Kristína Botlová
“After the alarm went off, my husband and I ran straight to the crib. We tried to wake Riško by raising our voices and giving several firm shakes. (It was only afterward that I read this was not the correct first aid technique.) He immediately opened his eyes but then became unresponsive again. After a short while, we were thankfully able to wake him, started undressing him, opened the window, and Riško took a breath and began to cry. Fortunately, he wasn’t purple, just completely pale. In the meantime, my husband called emergency medical services. Upon their arrival, one of the nurses thoroughly examined Riško and ensured he was okay. We then went with them to the hospital, where all necessary tests were performed. Thankfully, everything turned out fine, and Riško remains perfectly healthy today. Since then, we have used the breathing monitor even more cautiously, including with our second son. I recommend it to every mother, especially those who have experienced premature birth. You never know when this simple device might signal that your child has stopped breathing,” adds Jana Malaga, grateful for Riško’s health.
What useful tips did Jana share with us?
● The breathing monitor starts signaling after 20 seconds if the mat does not detect movements – breathing.
● The risk of SIDS is higher in babies born prematurely, as was the case with Riško, who was born at the turn of the 36th–37th week of pregnancy via cesarean section rather than spontaneously.
● It is not recommended to place a baby’s crib with a breathing monitor next to the parents’ bed, as it detects micro-movements/breathing of the parents and therefore cannot reliably monitor the baby’s breathing.
● Babies breathe very gently, and I learned to monitor Riško even while he was sleeping in a stroller or car seat by feeling his pulse at the wrist.
● I only reviewed the CD and first aid instructions for SIDS that came with the monitor mat after this incident and realized that my zealous inexperience and stressful handling during first aid could have harmed Riško.
● Some studies suggest that if such an “incident” and SIDS risk occur, extra caution is warranted with a second baby as well.
Source: zenyvpohode.eu
