LEAH HENRY-TANNER: So, there's certain controllable factors,
including those that might be more common in native communities,
that may put infants at a higher risk for SIDS. Keep in mind
that these are not direct causes of SIDS, but they may play a contributing role,
in terms of the triple risk theory that we just mentioned.
Let's take a look at each one of these in more detail.
So, overheating, alcohol use, commercial tobacco use,
pregnancy related factors, sleep positions,
soft sleeping surfaces, and loose, fluffy bedding in the
baby's sleep area, and bed sharing, which we'll probably spend a lot more time on.
So, overheating increases the baby's chance
that he'll sleep too deeply. And, I don't know about you, but
I remember when I had my first baby, my grandma,
who was very strong, she always insisted that you put
the undershirt on, and you put this on, and that layer on,
and so my baby he– you could tell he was hot, because he was sweating.
But of course, I never went back on what my grandma said, because– Tanya probably remembers her... [laughter]
TANYA: Yeah... LEAH HENRY-TANNER: She was a very, very strong woman.
But, it also can happen if the room is too warm, or the baby is–
because I think a lot of times parents get concerned that
"Oh, it's cold in here. Baby's gonna be cold, so let's turn up the heat."
Or "Let's put too many blankets on him,"
because they're, again, wanting to keep baby safe and keep baby comfortable.
But, they don't realize that if the room temperature is
OK for you, it's OK for baby too. But, I know
overheating is definitely an issue that I myself had to deal with,
and I'm sure other moms with strong grandmas or strong mamas
have to deal with too. So, just being able to
be able to tell our family members, "Well, this is what the
latest studies have shown.." might be able to help them
see things a little bit differently. So, if your baby is
too hot, of course, some of the signs are sweating, or damp hair,
little, flushed, red cheeks, or heat rash,
or breathing really fast.
Now, alcohol use is certainly something that
is of great concern in native communities. There was a–
actually it was the Aberdeen area study. That... um... one of the
PIs was Leslie Randall, who's a Nez Perce tribal member; she's been a mentor
of mine for many years. But, her studies
over in the Aberdeen Area, Which is the Dakotas– GERADINE SIMKINS: North Dakota,
South Dakota,Iowa, Nebraska. LEAH HENRY-TANNER: Gera knows that. She used to
work there too. [laughter] But, they showed that
alcohol use really increased the SIDS risk...
um... As the slide clearly
shows. One binge episode during the first three months of pregnancy
increased the risk of SIDS eight times.
And, any drinking, three months prior to and during the first three months
of pregnancy increased the risk six times.
And also, alcohol use during breastfeeding can cause drowsiness.
Which means deeper sleep, weakness, and then decreased growth for the baby.
Another SIDS risk factor is commercial tobacco use
during pregnancy and in the baby's living
environment. Gera mentioned secondhand smoke, and we definitely
know that's a risk factor for SIDS.
Tobacco decreases the growth and function of the baby's developing brain,
nerves, and organs. So, like the critical development period
mentioned in the triple risk, as well as the vulnerable infant.
And infants who die of SIDS have higher levels of
nicotine in their lungs than infants who die of other causes.
And, I do need to mention that SIDS risk among babies whose
mothers smoke during pregnancy is up to four times higher than the risk of
babies whose mothers did not smoke. So, that seems
pretty significant. Other risk factors for SIDS include
pregnancy related factors. So, something like
not receiving early, regular, prenatal care is a risk factor
for SIDS. Missing prenatal care appointments means the woman
and her family misses education and screening for
potentially treatable conditions. Research shows that getting
early and continuous care protects
against SIDS. Also, preterm labor,
or preterm birth, and low birth weight are also
risk factors for SIDS. Regular prenatal care allows healthcare providers
to detect preterm labor symptoms, low birth weight,
or growth restrictions of the baby. All of which increase the risk for SIDS.
Again, going back to looking at stats
for our state, the pre-term birth rate for American Indian/ Alaska native babies
is higher than any other communities. Though, it goes
back and forth between our community and African-American communities.
So, making sure that mom gets early and continuous
prenatal care is really vital.