Improper posture may cause ?cot deaths? to infants: Experts

Making your baby lie on his/her stomach or even on sides may result in death. This startling fact was revealed by Prof Siva Subramaniam, chief of neonatal-perinatal medicine, children medical centre at Georgetown University (USA) in a conference of paediatricians at Swatantrata Bhawan at Banaras Hindu University.

Making your baby lie on his/her stomach or even on sides may result in death. This startling fact was revealed by Prof Siva Subramaniam, chief of neonatal-perinatal medicine, children medical centre at Georgetown University (USA) in a conference of paediatricians at Swatantrata Bhawan at Banaras Hindu University.

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‘Sudden Infant Death Syndrome’ or ‘cot deaths’ happen due to the improper posture in which a child is made to lie down. Prof Subramaniam said infants aged between four to 12 months were more prone to this syndrome. Is was estimated that 2 to 4 infants in every 1000 live births were prone to sudden death.

Undiagnosed infections or disorder of respiratory system are among other factors responsible for sudden deaths, he added.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Prof Subramaniam claimed that sudden deaths among infant could be reduced by 30 to 40 per cent if a child was made to lie down in a proper posture, which is on his/her back. “Researches have proved that the primitive hammock made out of cloth in India gives ideal posture to a child and is instrumental in averting sudden deaths,” he said.

Prof David Tudehope, director of neonatology at mater mother’s hospital, South Brisbane, Australia also advocated making a child lie on his back to avert cot deaths. He also said that sudden death was common among infants born to a mother taking alcohol, drugs or smoking.