The incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIDS in Australia - Essay Example

(NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service, 1997) Babies die from SIDS at all times of the day and night, in cots, prams, car seats, and bassinettes and even in their parent's arms. "With the better education about the risks of SIDS, the number of deaths has been reduced by more than 50 per cent over the last six years." (Horgan, 1995 pp.22-24) "Although the cause of SIDS is still a mystery, research in Australia and other parts of the world suggests it's possible for parents, grandparents and other carers to lower the risk in these simple ways".

(Jones Michael Dr, 2006) Since parents in Australia and across the rest of the world have changed how babies are put down for sleep, fewer babies have died from SIDS. However, SIDS can still occur even when all the known risk factors have been ruled out. (SIDS and Kids, 2005a) In Australia, SIDS accounts for the deaths of more babies between the ages of one month and one year than all who die of cancer, heart disease, pneumonia, child abuse, AIDS, cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy combined.

In the United States SIDS is responsible for more deaths than any other cause in childhood for babies one month to one year of age, claiming 150,000 victims in this generation alone 7,000 babies each year, nearly one baby every hour of every day. (BHC, 2006c) SIDS occurs at any time of the day or night and most babies die quietly in their sleep. (Better Health Channel, 2006a) "Although it is more common in babies between the ages of two to four months it happens to younger and older babies also, this syndrome occurs in both bottle-fed and breastfed babies.

There is a 60 to 40 percent male to female ratio. 60 per cent babies are boys who die. It occurs in families of all races, ethnic and socioeconomic origins without warning. SIDS occurrence is quite sudden, neither parent nor physician can predict that something is wrong. Most SIDS victims appear healthy prior to death." (AAP American academy of Pediatrics, 2005 pp.1245-1255) Researchers believe that babies who die of SIDS are born with one or more conditions that make them especially vulnerable to stresses that occur in the normal life of an infant, including both internal and external influences.

"SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion. A death is diagnosed as SIDS only after all other alternatives have been eliminated." (Mage & Donner, 2004 pp.1210-1215) SIDS is very rare syndrome. The number of SIDS deaths remained constant despite fluctuations in the overall number of infant deaths. The National Center for Health Statistics NCHS reported that, in 1988 in the United States, 5,476 infants under 1 year of age died from SIDS in 1989, the number of SIDS deaths was 5,634 (NCHS,1990 p. 33). "However, other sources estimate that the number of SIDS deaths may actually be closer to 7,000".

(Goyco, Beckerman, 1990 pp. 299-346) The larger estimate represents additional cases that are unreported or underreported the cases that were not reported as SIDS. More than 4999 out of every 5000 babies in South Australia do not die from SIDS. Although SIDS is the most common cause in Australia of death for babies between 1 month and 12 months old, but it is still rare. (NCHS, 1992 p. 44)Causes of SIDS: While there are still no adequate medical explanations for SIDS deaths, current theories include: (1) Stress in a normal baby caused by infection or other factors(2) A birth defect(3)