Preventing SIDS

The reporter interviewed parents who had an 8 month old who died from SIDS. I feel naive, but I thought I was in the clear with my 5 month old. He is so mobile now. This story made me nervous about SIDS again. How am I supposed to know whether he has low serotonin levels?

FROM NBC:What could be a key piece of information on the mystery of sudden infant death syndrome. A campaign to encourage putting infants to sleep on their backs has lowered the number of SIDS cases: but new research may answer some bigger questions on what really causes the syndrome.

Howard and Pam Teibel are among two thousand families a year who lose a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - commonly known as SIDS. Howard: "I can't imagine what your, what you go through, and I think that, I know that what I go through is very also private." Their baby Andrew seemed healthy but his death at 8 months brought grief, anger and many unanswered questions.

Pam: "With the death of a child comes complications of unbelievable guilt and responsibility. This happened on my watch." The known risk factors for SIDS include prematurity, being male, over-bundling, maternal smoking and exposure to second hand smoke.

But new research from Boston's Children's Hospital and others suggest that something else is going on in SIDS babies, a deficiency of serotonin, which in infants, helps regulate breathing, sleep, blood pressure, and heart rate.

Dr. Kinney: "if there's too little serotonin, that circuit doesn't function well, that alarm system doesn't work, and the baby, when stressed, goes on to die." Sleep position is still an independent risk factor for SIDS and that's why all babies should be put to sleep on their backs.

Dr. Kinney: "A normal baby will wake up, and stir and turn its head and get itself out of that dangerous situation. Facedown baby may be re-breathing carbon dioxide and this builds up." There is currently no screening test for serotonin levels in the brain, but Kinney and colleagues hope that one day there will be.

Dr. Nancy: "What are you hearing from parents?" Dr. Kinney: "What we hear is hope. I don't know how else to say it." Hope that fewer babies die and more families like the Teibel's are spared this terrible grief.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

See what all your friends are talking about. Join us at Skin Dimensions Day Spa in Peoria for a bareMinerals^® by Bare Escentuals Party on Saturday, February 20th between 9am and 3pm. This is your chance to try bareMinerals^®, the number one mineral makeup! No appointment necessary. Call 309-691-9381 for more information.

Preparing for Pregnancy

I recently posted an Associated Press article on how women might want to avoid caffeine when they are pregnant because new research shows a cup and a half a day of coffee doubles your chances of miscarriage.

Dr. Michael Leonardi from Maternal Fetal in Peoria, Illinois says there is a lot more you should keep in mind BEFORE you get pregnant. He said,"By the time a pregnancy test turns positive, most of the baby’s organs have already formed. It may be too late to make changes to limit the impact on the baby’s development."

Here are the key points:

1. Don't smoke and avoid second hand smoke:Women who smoke have an increased risk for infertility, delayed conception, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), as well as complications during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased risks for low birth weight infants. It is the single largest modifiable risk factor for IUGR (intrauterine growth retardation). Mothers who smoke are more likely to have their water break early and more likely for placenta previa. SIDS is three-fold more common in infants who live in a household where anyone smokes. Children exposed to second hand smoke are also at increased risk for pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, and ear infections. 9600 excess perinatal deaths are annually attributed to cigarette smoking during pregnancy.
2. Start taking vitamins:Women who could become pregnant should ensure intake of 400 micrograms or more of folate either from dietary or supplemental sources daily. The risk of a first episode of neural tube defect is decreased by approximately 50% in women who consume adequate folic acid prior to pregnancy. Although it has not yet reached the level of a consensus recommendation, there is emerging epidemiologic evidence to suggest that a balanced multivitamin preparation may reduce the risk of nonsyndromic fetal cardiac defects by up to 25%.
3. Get a Cystic fibrosis screening: Cystic fibrosis is the most common autosomal recessive condition affecting the Caucasian population. All patients contemplating pregnancy should be offered screening for CF. If testing has previously been performed, it need not be repeated.
   
4. Avoid Alcohol.
5. Maintain a balanced diet and healthy weight.
6. Avoid environmental toxin exposure.
7. Make sure immunizations are up to date.
8. Get pre-existing conditions (like diabetes and high blood pressure) under control.
9. Talk to an obstetrician prior to conception, especially if you have a chronic medical condition.

I don't smoke, so I never actually read what smoking can do to a baby. Wow! I would think that would make someone quit pretty fast or at least trying really hard to quit. I never started taking vitamins until after I knew I was pregnant. I just never thought about it. Now I know.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen