PREVENTIVE MEDECINE: COT DEATH
What is it?
The death of an apparently healthy, normal baby in its cot or pram for no known reason. The baby has sometimes had a snuffle nose or other minor symptoms.
In Britain one in every 500 babies dies suddenly and unexpectedly like this. In many parts of the world it is the commonest cause of death under the age of 1 year. It is slightly more common in boys than girls and occurs more frequently in the winter months.
What causes it?
The vast majority of such deaths have to be labeled ’cause unknown’. Occasionally, post-mortem examination shows there is an unrecognized serious condition such as pneumonia or meningitis. Evidence of a minor infection is found in some children.
Prevention
Although the cause of sudden infant deaths (cot death) is not usually known there are certain precautions that can be taken, especially if you have already had one such death in the family.
• Breastfeed exclusively from birth until at least 6 months. Whilst breast-fed babies do die from cot deaths the condition is less common in totally breast-feds.
• Don’t give a child under 1 year a pillow unless it is a special non-suffocating type. Most babies who die in this way certainly have not suffocated but it will put your mind at rest and will prevent suffocation in itself.
• Try to protect your baby from coming unnecessarily into contact with people who have coughs, colds and ‘flu. Of course, all babies will get these illnesses from time to time but once again, it will put your mind at rest if you have taken such simple precautions.
• Those who have lost one child by cot death, and even some who have not, will probably want to think about the following precautions, which are at least sensible, for a subsequent baby:
1. Tell your doctor if you think your baby is at all ill.
2. Always take seriously fits, blue or grey turns, difficult breathing, and exceptional drowsiness. Tell the doctor urgently.
3. Tell the doctor as soon as possible if your baby has any of the following: croup; can’t breathe through nose; cries in an unusual way or for a long time; repeatedly refuses food; vomits repeatedly; has watery diarrhea; or is unusually cold, hot or floppy. Even if you have told your doctor, health visitor or nurse, if things don’t improve tell, your doctor again the same day.
• If your baby stops breathing, perform artificial respiration, blowing only the amount of air you can hold in your cheeks into his or her nose and mouth by covering both with your mouth.
• If your baby has a fit lay him or her face down with the head turned to one side, clear the mouth of sick or froth and cool him or her by removing clothes or sponging with tepid water.
• If your baby swallows pills or poisons get expert help at once.
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