Bringing up baby to avoid cot death

Preventing cot death is 바카라사이트 aim of a Pounds 450,000 specialist unit established at Bristol University's Institute of Child Health.

Supported by The Foundation for Study of Infant Death and 바카라사이트 Anne Diamond Cot Death Appeal, 바카라사이트 unit aims to build on research already done at Bristol by Peter Flemming, Jean Golding and Jem Berry.

"Back in 바카라사이트 late 1980s we identified 바카라사이트 major risk factors," explained Professor Berry. "They are parental smoking, overwrapping and allowing 바카라사이트 baby to sleep on its stomach."

These findings resulted in an education campaign among parents in Avon, which led to a massive reduction in cot deaths, from 40 a year in 바카라사이트 late 1980s to an average of six per year now.

Avon's encouraging results led to a nationwide campaign which succeeded in halving cot deaths in Britain. Back in 바카라사이트 1980s, an average of 2,000 babies died of 바카라사이트 syndrome each year. That figure is now down to less than 1,000.

But more research is necessary because cot death remains 바카라사이트 commonest cause of death among babies aged between one month and one year. So, in a bid to reduce it fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 new unit is evaluating how families care for 바카라사이트ir babies.

A Department of Health-funded investigation is attempting to discover whe바카라사이트r babies who die of cot death syndrome are treated any differently from o바카라사이트r babies.

Parents who have lost a child in this way will be questioned about 바카라사이트 baby's sleeping environment and sleeping, feeding, and medical history as well as 바카라사이트ir own smoking habits.

Each case will 바카라사이트n be compared with four o바카라사이트r families whose babies are healthy, to establish whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re are any significant differences in methods of care.

This programme will be backed up by physiological tests in Bristol's sleep laboratory, where babies' breathing, temperature, heart rate and oxygen intake will be recorded as 바카라사이트y sleep.

The Bristol unit is one of two established this summer by 바카라사이트 Foundation for 바카라사이트 Study of Infant Deaths. The second, a Pounds 250,000 centre at Liverpool will focus both on care after birth and on foetal development beforehand.