Dealing With Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

October is SIDS Awareness Month.

SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, refers to the unexpected, unexplained death of an infant less than a year old. It's the leading cause of death in children between ages 1 month and 1 year in the U.S.

According to Emily Wisniewski, M.D., a board certified pediatrician with Mercy Family Care Physicians in Baltimore, MD, the most important thing is to put your baby to sleep on his or her back. Another thing you can do is get everything out of the crib.

"If you want to have a thin, thin swaddle and receiving blanket, that's okay, but nothing else. Baby should be on a firm mattress with a thin, thin, tight sheet wrapped around it. We also found that babies sleeping in the same room with their parents have a 50 percent decreased chance of dying from SIDS," Dr. Wisniewski said.

Pediatricians do not suggest sharing a bed because a baby could be smothered.

To view Mercy pediatrician Dr. Emily Wisniewski’s interview regarding SIDS, click here.