It’s a heartbreaking condition that claims the lives of thousands of babies each year and has left doctors baffled for decades. Until now!
Researchers have discovered that breathing and body temperature — thought to be responsible for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) — are controlled by a brain chemical called Seratonin.
Seratonin is more commonly associated with mood control, but researchers have found they can manipulate body temperature and breathing by switching Seratonin production on and off in mice.
It’s long been believed high body temperature and faster breathing are to blame for SIDS; doctors now advise parents to keep put their babies to sleep on their backs, to help them breath better in the night.
And they hope the Seratonin breakthrough will lead to more discoveries about the tragic condition that kills more than 4,500 babies in the US each year!
Dr Marian Willinger, a SIDS specialist at the National Institute of Health and Child Development, is excited by the findings. She says, ‘The single most effective way to reduce the risk of SIDS is to always place infants on their backs for sleep.
‘This new animal model of the serotonin-producing system hold the promise of helping us understand the biological processes contributing to SIDS, which is critical for the development of tests and interventions to prevent these early deaths.”
Here’s a few tips to keep your baby safe:
- Put your baby to sleep on her back, in a cot in a room with you
- Don’t smoke during pregnancy & let people smoke around your baby
- Don’t let your baby get too hot
- Never sleep on a sofa or armchair with your baby
- Take your baby for regular check-ups
Stay safe, HollyMoms!
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