Sids - Cnn Report 11-1-06

[BuddyLeesWife]

Exerpts from the CNN report on SIDS. The study was published in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- In a small study with big implications, researchers found some of the strongest evidence yet that sudden infant death syndrome -- a medical and sometimes legal mystery once known as crib death -- may be caused by brain stem abnormalities

The brain stem abnormalities involve an imbalance in the way the brain uses the neurotransmitter serotonin. The brain chemical plays a role in regulating mood and is the target for many depression-fighting drugs. But it also influences breathing, body temperature and arousal from sleep.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/10/31/sids....h.ap/index.html

[taylortotmom]

I had the same thought- interesting.

Carmen

[Lukkychrm42]

I heard elsewhere that SIDS was thought to be related to autonomic abnormalities, but I'll have to read this and see what it says.

[Poohbear]

My Sleep specialist said SIDS is definately ANS related and he said most of us with ANS dysfunction will not have normal sleep studies.

For myself, I do not get the deep stages of sleep. The Dr's explanation is that the ANS has to take over when you are in the deeper stages of sleep....my body/ANS system can't handle that. My study showed that my brain was waking me up very quickly after entering a deeper stage of sleep.

The Dr said as long as the ANS doesn't work right it will try to wake you up so that you continue to breath.

He said in infants, the difference is more pronounces and their ANS system is wired bad and the ANS system CAN'T wake the baby up.

[BuddyLeesWife]

Maybe some good will come of this:

First, if they are able to prevent the tragic loss from SIDS and secondly, if it is autonomic related, maybe we will benefit from more research.

Another Article from WebMD http://www.webmd.com/content/article/129/1...CFSA6SQodGQKenw

Clue to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Brain Stem Abnormality Seen in SIDS Babies, Study Shows

"Normal babies wake up when the air they breathe contains too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen, but the thinking is that babies susceptible to SIDS lack this arousal reflex."

And Still Another: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/545200

Preterm Infants and Sleeping Position

William T. Basco, Jr, MD, FAAP

Effect of Prone and Supine Position on Sleep, Apneas, and Arousal in Preterm Infants

According to Bhat and colleagues, previous research has demonstrated that, in preterm infants, prone sleeping position is associated with a marked increase in rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).[1] This study sought to examine a larger number of preterm infants than that included in other studies in order to determine how sleep position might be associated with apneas or sleep quality.