A recent report from Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital Boston has linked a specific brain malfunction with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, commonly known as SIDS.
In a lot of ways this is really ground breaking research. Up until this point, no one has definitely pointed to one cause for SIDS. However, researchers have noted several risk factors for SIDS, including sleeping on the stomach, and smoking. Furthermore, this study suggests that SIDS may even be preventable. By identifying the part of the brain responsible, doctors will be able to identify those infants at risk for SIDS.
The study was done by performing autopsies. Doctors looked at the lower part of the brain stem known as the medulla oblongata and found that there were noticeable abnormalities in the infants who had died of SIDS. In the infants who had died of SIDS, the nerve cells that make serotonin were abnormal. Serotonin is responsible for brain functions that coordinate blood pressure, breathing, and temperature among other things.
Many researchers and pediatricians will note the difference between an adult’s sleep cycle and an infant’s sleep cycle. Normally, all sorts of stimuli wake up a baby–loud noises, too hot or too cold, hunger and yes, even arrhythmic breathing. If you co-sleep, you will notice that your infant will often pick up your breathing patterns on his own in his first few weeks. However, the research is suggesting that SIDS infants are much less likely to be aroused by such stimuli.
Preventing SIDS
So if you’re infant has this brain abnormality–is he destined to die of SIDS. Researchers suggest not. The application of the study would be that IF a child is determined to have the brain abnormality extra caution can be taken to avoid all risk factors of SIDS. This does explain why some children exposed to risk factors don’t die while others do. It could also potentially explain why infants who co-sleep safely are at a decreased risk of SIDS.
I’ve never had to deal with SIDS, and likely never will as all of my children are too old for it now. But I know as a parent, if someone were to tell me that my child were at risk for something like SIDS, I would do everything within my power to prevent it. I hope this line of research continues and that one day doctors are easily able to identify infants who are at risk for SIDS beyond just the risk factors that occur in the home.
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