Half of the cases of sudden infant death could be prevented by sleeping baby on her back

Sudden infant death is still about 350 people each year in France , while simple preventive measures such as baby sleeping on the back would halve the mortality associated with this syndrome whose psychological impact on the family dramatic .
Sudden infant death syndrome is a multifactorial accident , the first contributing factor is the alteration of the maturation control vital functions leading to immaturity of respiratory, cardiac , and autonomic arousal mechanisms , said Dr Anne France - Bongrand , pediatrician reference Centre of sudden infant death (SIDS) in Montpellier, at a conference organized in the framework of interviews Bichat in Paris.

The second factor is the existence of a state intercurrent disease such as lightning (bacterial or viral infection ), heart disease and , more rarely , metabolic diseases characterized by an energy deficit in children. Gastroesophageal reflux may also increase the risk of SIDS , but it is not enough by itself to cause the accident , said the pediatrician.

" There are only a few ways of action on these two factors ."

However, there are in the middle of the child to know the sleeping conditions , ambient temperature , passive smoking ... Information campaigns are also based on these risk factors and how to avoid them. The first was launched in 1994 with the message "I sleep on the back ."

It had the effect of greatly contribute to the reduction in the incidence of SIDS , however regression knows a plateau for several years while we have regrets about one death per day due to this type of accident .

" It has stagnated , confirmed Dr. Elisabeth Briand - Huchet, pediatrician CNRMSN Clamart ( Hauts-de- Seine ) . And the forecast for the next three years show that we will stay in the same numbers." Yet , says the doctor , " even half of MSN is due to sleeping at risk ."

And include basic tips to minimize the risk of sudden infant death syndrome : the baby should sleep on his back, on a bed of security to size. Pillows and duvets are not recommended , but if the ambient temperature of the room is cool (18-20 ° C is recommended) , it is advisable to dress in a sleeping bag .

According to statistics, the ventral multiplies by 13 the risk of SIDS . On the belly, the baby can move and be faced with the risk of landfill hyperthermia it is less easy fight , especially at major risk containment whose consequence is hypoxia and hypercapnia ( excessive amount of carbonic acid in the blood) quickly dangerous .

However, the pediatrician recommend playing the baby on his stomach to make him move his arms in front and rely on it to get up, he can use reflex rollover in bed. Other advice recently emerged, that of not sharing the bed with her baby , attitude called " co- sleeping" by the Americans, which multiplies by 16 the risk of SIDS .