SIDS: What is sudden infant death syndrome and what causes it?

RESEARCHERS at an Australian medical center said in May 2022 that they may have uncovered the underlying cause of sudden infant death syndrome.

The condition, more commonly known as SIDS, is the unexplained death of an infant that occurs when they're asleep.

What is sudden infant death syndrome?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) occurs while a baby is asleep and typically happens within the first six months of a .

According to the CDC, the death in babies less than one-year-old is identified as SIDS and is often caused by physical factors such as accidental suffocation in their sleeping environment.

Although the rate of SIDS death has decreased since the 1990s as more information has become available, about 3,400 infants in the US died unexpectedly in 2019, .

Of those numbers, 37 percent of the deaths were attributed to SIDS, 34.7 percent were from unknown causes, and 28 percent were caused by accidental strangulation in bed.

Parents should identify the steps they can take to reduce the risk of their child dying from SIDS including removing blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows from their infant's bed.

What causes SIDS?

SIDS can occur in the first year of an infant's life and parents should be cautious when they put their child to sleep by making sure the baby is lying on their back and there isn't anything in the crib with them.

Allowing a baby to sleep on their stomach can block their airway or cause airbreathing, meaning they are re-breathing their own exhaled air.

When this happens, the oxygen level in their body drops, and the level of carbon dioxide rises. The brain is wired to trigger the baby to wake up and cry, allowing them to get more oxygen, but if the brain doesn't pick up the signal, the baby's oxygen levels will fall and result in death.

Outside factors can make a baby more susceptible to SIDS such as if the mother smoked or drank alcohol during pregnancy, used drugs, or had inadequate prenatal care, according to Mayo Clinic.

Babies who die from SIDS are thought to have trouble regulating their heart rate, breathing, and temperature.

Pediatricians advise parents to reduce the risk of SIDS by:

• Placing babies on their backs for all sleep times -- naps and at night
• Avoiding blankets in cribs
• Breastfeeding if possible
• Keeping babies in the parents' or guardians' sleeping area for at least six months, but not in the adults' beds