Fan May Reduce Risk of SIDS

SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, is the name given to the unforeseen, unexplained death of an infant under the age of one year. SIDS deaths cannot be attributed to any other cause and it is currently the leading cause of death for infants from one month to one year old . In a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine involving 500 infants from 11 counties in California, it was found that a fan may help in reducing the risk of SIDS by circulating air and allowing the infant to get sufficient oxygen. It is believed that a cause for SIDS may be brain abnormalities, which can restrict an infant’s ability to gasp and wake up when they are not getting enough oxygen.

Experts have several recommendations for lowering the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, including putting babies to sleep on their backs and using a firm mattress. They also recommend that parents keep toys and pillows out of the crib when infants are sleeping, as well as making sure infants do not get too warm. The newest recommendation that suggests using a fan while infants sleep still requires more research. However, the study found that SIDS was reduced by 72 percent when a fan was used, with only 3 percent of infant deaths occurring while a fan was in use. The use of a fan was also found to especially reduce the risk of SIDS in infants sleeping in poor conditions.

The study was funded by grants from the National Institute of Health and is the first of its kind to look at the use of a fan to reduce the risk of SIDS.

SIDS may be the cause of the sudden, unexpected death of an infant, though a proper investigation should always take place in order to rule out other causes of death, especially if the infant is under the care of a hospital or daycare center. If you or a loved one has medical malpractice questions in New York, please contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos serving clients in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens, Staten Island and Westchester County.

Call toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM