Cot Death

Cot Death - Questions and Answers

What actually is a 'cot death' and how common is it?

'Cot death', now called 'Sudden Infant Death Syndrome'(SIDS), is the sudden unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant or young child. Even a thorough post mortem examination doesn't reveal any explanation for the death of the baby. It is the commonest cause of death for children aged 1 week to 2 years, though having said that, the condition itself is not common.

About 1,300 babies die from Sudden Infant Death in the UK each year. Although this is a devastating tragedy to the family, the encouraging news is that cot deaths seem to be dropping in number. In 1988, there were 1,593 cot deaths and in 1989 there were 1,326. This represented the largest reduction in cot deaths in the UK since records began 21 years ago.

Ninety per cent of cot deaths occur in babies aged one month to eight months, but the majority affect those babies aged 2 to 4 months.

If there is no obvious medical reason, can you give any explanation at all as to why it happens?

In July 1991, the television presenter, Anne Diamond, lost her baby son as a result of a cot death, and she bravely presented a TV programme investigating the causes of this distressing problem. The programme reported that three important factors put a baby at risk of cot death:

* Lying the baby face down in the cot.

* The mother being a smoker.

* The baby not being breast fed.

The programme revealed that New Zealand, which had had the highest cot death rate in the world, had started a massive media campaign to educate all mothers on how to reduce cot death. The outcome was that cot deaths in New Zealand, dropped dramatically!

I've heard that keeping the bedroom cool helps prevent cot death, how true is this?

Your baby's temperature is extrememly important. Two thirds of cot deaths occur in the winter months, when little babies are often over wrapped in warm bedding in a heated, non ventilated bedroom. Some babies may develop a fever during the night due to a viral infection, and because of their excess bedding and warm bedroom, they become overheated with subsequent serious effects. Here are some important tips to keep your baby at the right temperature:

The Cool Rules.

* Never use a hot water bottle or sheepskin to keep your baby warm.

* Duvets, baby nests and cot bumpers should not be used for under one year olds.

* To check how warm your baby is, feel the tummy. Not the hands or feet, which may feel cold, but that's normal. The tummy should feel warm, not hot. If the tummy is hot or your baby is sweating anywhere , the baby is too warm!

* Babies with a fever need less clothes, not more.

* Babies only need a nappy, vest and babygro to sleep in.

* Babies shouldn't wear hats indoors.

* For bedding use a sheet with 2/3 cotton cellular blankets. Don't double a blanket up. That would be the same as two! If the baby is hot, remove some of the covers.

* Keep the bedding loose, so that blankets can be kicked off if the baby gets too hot.

* Baby's room temperature should be about 65deg F(18deg C).

* Keep the cot away from radiators, heaters, fires or sunny windows.

Reducing the risk

1. Let your baby sleep 'on the side' or 'face up' not 'face down'.

2. 'Mum' should stop smoking, and so should 'Dad'!

3. Don't let your baby get too hot. Follow the 'Cool Rules'.

4. Breast feed your baby.

Where can I get further information from?

Excellent information and materials are available from:

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths http://www.sids.org.uk

For parents who have already suffered a cot death, the following organisation may be helpful in counselling with regard to future baby care:

CONI (Care of the Next Infant),
Room C1, Stephenson Unit
Sheffield Childrens Hospital
University of Sheffield
Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TH.


IMPORTANT NOTICE : This content is from the Dr Chris Steele personal archive and is provided for convenience only. Information contained here may no longer agree with the most up to date medical advice. Please check with a medical professional before taking any action.

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