SIDS: What You Need to Know
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Black babies.
1 / 10
October Is SIDS, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month - While October is usually associated with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this month is also used to educate parents about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Read more about how this tragic syndrome disproportionately affects Black babies and what parents can do prevent it. —Kellee Terrell(Photo: digitalskillet/GettyImages)
2 / 10
What Is SIDS? - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is when a baby under the age of 1 suddenly dies for an unknown reason that cannot explained by medical professionals. SIDS usually occurs when babies are sleeping. (Photo: GettyImages)
3 / 10
How Common Is SIDS? - SIDS is the leading cause of death for babies 1-12 months. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that SIDS kills 2,000 babies every year. (Photo: BFG Images/GettyImages)
4 / 10
African-Americans and SIDS - While SIDS rates have fallen over the years, African-American babies are grossly affected by SIDS. Our babies have over twice the infant death as whites and our babies have the second highest rate of SIDS, says WomensHealth.Gov. Past data suggests that Black parents are more likely to lay their babies on their bellies when sleeping and have blankets and other items in the beds, all of which raises a baby’s risk of SIDS. (Photo: GettyImages)
5 / 10
Why Does SIDS Happen? - SIDS remains a mystery — the cause is unknown. But past research has found that lying a baby down makes it vulnerable to death. Also, some SIDS deaths are really accident suffocation. These two factors are why there has been a huge push to educate parents about providing their baby with a safer sleep routine. (Photo: jo unruh/GettyImages)
ADVERTISEMENT