SIDS Risk Higher In Babies Who Live At Very High Elevations

New findings published in the journal Pediatrics reveal that babies who live at very high elevations may be at an increased risk of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome.

For the study, researchers looked at data compiled between 2007 and 2012 that involved 400,000 infants born in Colorado. Researchers discovered that babies of families living in higher elevated areas, such as 8,000 feet or higher, were twice as likely to be at risk of SIDS than those in families living below 6,000 feet.

Though the risk was relatively small, with 0.8 SIDS deaths for every 1,000 infants who lived at the highest elevations, researchers noted that this is a call for greater research on the matter.

Though the cause of SIDS is still unknown, health officials known that certain conditions can increase its risk, including reduce oxygen levels, brain-stem abnormalities, smoking during pregnancy or respiratory infections.

Despite the uncertainties that come with any pregnancy and the early stages of infancy, lead study author Dr. David Katz, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado in Aurora, suggests that parents focus on what we do know about the problem.

For instance, parents should never share a bed with their new baby and make sure their child is not sleeping on his or her stomach. Soft bedding can also be dangerous for new babies, as it can cause suffocation; the bare minimum is a good for just starting off.

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