Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or (SIDS) is an unexpected infant death. Yes, it is sudden and unexpected and not really a syndrome when the final outcome is not what we as parents want for our baby. Thorough autopsy and examination of the death scene and circumstances at time of death reveal no identifiable cause of the baby's death. SIDS risk begins about two weeks after birth and is the leading cause of baby deaths from months one to six. Death rates peak in the third month when the immunity received from the mother is waning, and is rare after a year of age.
The definition of SIDS is faulty and misleading for a couple of reasons. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is really not a "syndrome" as the only result is the unfortunate death of a child. The "syndrome" designation opened the door for well-paid specialists to enjoy a nice lifestyle while investigating various "risk factors" -- but ignoring the actual cause.
Organic Baby Matress
Also, the term "sudden" is inapplicable as it has been shown that certain precipitating events make crib death, and sometimes its probable date, predictable. If you could for see the future showing your baby's life would you make some changes to prevent various mishaps from occurring? I know that I would!
Did you know that prior to World War II, unexplained infant deaths were rare. However; after 1950, the governments of nearly all the rich industrialized required treatment of baby and child mattresses with flame retardant chemicals. Phosphorus and antimony were most commonly used and arsenic was added later as a preservative.
Sadly, these well-intentioned measures were counterproductive in two ways. First the American SIDS death rate ballooned 400-fold and second is the number of baby deaths in residential blazes multiplied. The mechanism of death is identical in both types of tragedy due to the generation of extremely poisonous gases from the chemicals that have been added to baby bedding and clothing.
SiIDS is enhanced by ordinarily harmless household fungi and certain microorganisms that consume the phosphorus, arsenic and antimony which are added as fire retardants and plastic softeners to your baby's mattress. These organisms consume and thrive on these toxic chemicals and then the fungi emit heavier than air neurotoxic gases.
This gas generation starts when your conventional petroleum based mattress, containing both the chemicals and the fungi, is warmed to body temperature by contact with your baby. Your baby's perspiration, dribble, urine, vomit, body heat and critically important -- high (alkaline) pH enable the fungi to grow and generate these gases rapidly.
When your baby breathes these nearly odorless gases for an extended time even in minute quantities they can interrupt the transfer of nervous impulses from the brain to the heart and lungs. This lack of nerve impulses shuts down the central nervous system; the heart ceases to function and breathing stop.
These gases remain in a thin layer on your baby's mattress and do eventually diffuse away. But if enough gas accumulates to a fatal dose, the parents know nothing of it until their terrible discovery, typically the next morning. Every parent of a small baby or parent-to-be is wondering, "Will my child become a statistic? Will he have to die because of something I did or did not do?"
Crib death has nothing to do with medicine or pediatrics or even the babies; it is caused by your babies' environment. Since you are the guardian of your child's health, you have rights, so utilize these rights to protect your child.
What can you do to protect you child? There are some simple easy things that you as the parent must do. Purchasing an organic mattress and organic bedding and night wear are the most important decisions you can make to protect your child and help reduce the chance of SIDS.