Signs of biological roots offers hope for prevention.

SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has perplexed doctors for years. Seemingly healthy infants dying in their sleep has been blamed on many things — from poisonous mattresses, to vaccines, to negligent care. But no one can say for sure what brings on this tragic sudden death of babies in their sleep. New research reveals, SIDS victims show a common brain abnormality.

The Journal of the American Medical Association has published a recent study that shows infants who died of SIDS had low levels of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin. Low serotonin levels were seen specifically in the medulla oblongata — the part of the brainstem that controls breathing, body temperature, and heart rate.

Harvard lead study author Dr. Hannah Kinney believes low levels of serotonin hampers the medullas’ ability to regulate these vital bodily functions. Their theory is, SIDS babies are unable to detect when they don’t have enough oxygen.

Doctors have long speculated that a brain abnormality underlies SIDS. Out-of-balance brain chemicals were even seen more in male babies, which may explain why SIDS kills twice as many boys than it does girls.

The new Harvard study is significant as it comes closer to what doctors call the “triple-risk model” of SIDS:

• biological vulnerability;
• critical period, usually between one to six months of age;
• environmental stressors such as tummy sleeping, over-bundling or loose beddings.

It’s evident that SIDS strikes when all these three factors come together. As the biology of SIDS becomes clearer, we’ve taken the first step towards being able to identify and treat the babies at risk. The Harvard researchers hope one day to be able to test a baby’s blood for indications that the brainstem’s serotonin system is off. In the best-case scenario, a drug might be able to correct the functioning of the baby’s medulla, but at the very least, parents could be warned to take extra precautions.

In the meantime, parents of newborns should take extra precaution and keep the other risk factors at bay. Follow safe sleeping practices:

• Let your baby sleep on his back.
• Make sure beddings are snug, no pillows on the crib.
• Be conscious that your baby is not too warm by controlling room temperature.
• In the same vein, make sure your baby is not over-bundled.

Since doctors have provided these safe sleeping guidelines in the 90’s, incidences of SIDS have gone down in half. Until the test comes out for babies that are biologically vulnerable, all parents should just follow infant sleep guidelines to play it safe.

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