For most people, October is the month associated with the beginning of autumn. However, there is much more associated with October, namely within the health sector, this month is dedicated to child safety. Thousands of companies are joining Baby Awareness Month, an awareness program created by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) to educate the general public. The second goal was to raise awareness among parents about how to ensure proper and adequate child safety. This month's topics include sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), infant loss or abortion (miscarriage).
The loss of a child, no matter what age, is one of life's most difficult events. There is a period of crisis that affects the lives of the parents, the remaining family and the neighbourhood. Adversity also affects our identity and self-esteem. We do not understand the world around us, ourselves, and feelings of guilt follow us. These feelings, however, do not only accompany parents and survivors, but are very often also present in the ranks of doctors or other health professionals who had the child in their care or were no longer able to save him or her. In the wake of such a traumatic event comes a period of mourning and grief. This period is individual and cannot be limited in time. Generally speaking, the first year after the unfortunate event is the most difficult.
As physicians, we feel a responsibility to spread this awareness, so we have decided to contribute the following article with some basic safety tips on safe sleep for newborns. The most widespread danger in newborn babies and infants, are sleep defects, which can include suffocation or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Let's take a look together at a series of preventive measures that can effectively prevent this misfortune.
Safe cot
A suitable cot and mattress is important for a good and safe sleep. When choosing a crib, one should prioritize functionality over design.Modern cribs that meet safety parameters tend to be marked with certification.
The sleeping surface should consist of a mattress that is not too soft and there is not a large gap between it and the crib. The area should be 'clean', so avoid pillows, blankets, toys and other inappropriate items to reduce the risk of suffocation, crushing or trapping the baby.
It is also advisable to keep the cot or cradle in the same room as the parents, at least for the first 12 months.
Stable position on the back
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should be put to sleep on their backs, not on their sides or stomachs, during the first year of life. This sleeping position reduces the risk of suffocation and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Baby's comfort
It is not enough to have a suitable cot for your baby to have a good quality and undisturbed sleep.Room temperature is also a big factor. It is advisable to air the baby out before putting him to sleep.However, the windows should not be left open for the rest of the night.When putting your baby to sleep, make sure your baby has just the right number of layers of clothing - the general recommendation is that your baby should have no more than one more layer of clothing than you do.
It is not recommended to use blankets or duvets, especially for children under 1 year of age. A great alternative is baby sleeping bags, which the baby wears, so the blanket does not get tangled in the open space and there is no danger associated with this.
Sleep as a priority
According to recent research by Sleep Junkie, parents lose up to 109 minutes of sleep a day during a child's first year. This seemingly small deficit can quickly lead to sleep deprivation, especially considering that most babies don't sleep consistently for 5-6 hours, for at least the first 3 months.
It is of utmost importance to pay attention not only to the baby's sleep schedule, but also to the parent's sleep schedule. It is of utmost importance to pay attention not only to the baby's sleep schedule, but also to the parent's sleep schedule.Sleep is crucial for the prevention of many diseases, reducing the risk of high blood pressure, depression and obesity.Lack of it can also manifest itself in nervousness and reduced attention span.These consequences can lead to a variety of situations that can lead to unhappiness. We know that reconciling sleep and a young child is not easy. A great help can be a regular sleep routine, a series of tasks that calm and prepare the child for sleep.This usually involves bathing, feeding, slowly putting him or her to bed in the dark, etc.If you feel you need help in this aspect, do not hesitate to ask relatives, night nannies or professional help
Monitoring and control of the child
With the advent of modern technology and the associated baby monitors, it is possible to keep an eye on your baby even when they are asleep.Classic baby video and audio monitors include breathing monitors that notify us if a breathing episode occurs. This makes them a great prevention against suffocation or the dreaded Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Thanks to the alarm, we are able to initiate early resuscitation and call for help from rescuers to prevent a disaster.
Breath monitors are already a feature available in quality video baby monitors these days.These baby monitors often also have the ability to play back the recording.If you feel that your child, for example, was breathing heavily the night before, waking up more or exhibiting other unusual behaviour, we can take this recording and discuss everything with the paediatrician.The choice of these monitors should not be underestimated.The right baby monitor should be certified by the manufacturer.If you are a parent of twins or have children close in age, it is important to make sure that each child has their own monitor and crib.
First aid
When you arrive at the baby's room or cot, turn on the lights in the room to assess the situation.Check your baby's colour by looking, then check for breathing. Put your face close to your baby's face, check the chest rise with your gaze, while checking if you feel a gust of breathing. The breathing assessment should take 10 seconds.If the baby is not breathing, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be started immediately with 5 initial breaths followed by cardiac massage (15 chest compressions) and again 2 breaths, then in a 15 compressions, 2 breaths ratio.If you are rescuing a child with the help of a partner, one initiates CPR, the other immediately calls the emergency services on 155.If only one parent is rescuing the child, the rescue service is called after the first series of 5 breaths.This text is only a brief and very simple summary, it certainly does not serve as a sufficient teaching resource for CPR. If you wish to become more educated on this topic, we recommend seeking out a professional specialized cardiopulmonary resuscitation course.
Preventive measures significantly reduce the risk of a sleep accident. Despite this, however, situations cannot always be 100% preventable. We feel it is important that these topics are openly discussed, both in public education and in a supportive manner for those affected.
The INFINITEMedStyle team
written by: Jana and Daniela
Sources:
hospitalvalaskemezirici.agel.cz
solen.cz
sidsforum.cz
neurologiepopraxi.cz
mayoclinic.org
