Sids and flat head of the newborn
Sids or cot death syndrome is a terror for all parents who know of its existence. Although the true causes are not yet known, certain steps can be taken to reduce the risk.
I tell you about it in detail in this article.
Sids and flat head: what links them?
Before the 1990s the flat head was an uncommon and little-known symptomatology.
Today, however, it is one of the most common problems in the neonatal age.
The reason for this change originated at the turn of the late 1980s and early 1990s. During this time, in fact, the guidelines for the prevention of cot death syndrome (SIDS).
You may be wondering why the story of cot death syndrome and flat head syndrome are related.
Let us rewind the tape and review what happened.
SIDS Guidelines
In 1960, scientists coined the acronym SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), i.e. sudden infant death syndrome or cot death syndrome.
In 1988, the Dutch medical societies recommended for the first time in history to do not let your child sleep in a prone position (i.e. lying on the belly) to decrease the risk of SIDS.
In 1991, studies published in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom showed a significant correlation between SIDS and prone position during sleep.
For these reasons, the first educational campaigns which recommended placing the infant, while sleeping, in a supine position (i.e. on its stomach) or on its side.
Back to Sleep campaign
In 1992, theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics starts recommending that infants sleep on their backs. Two years later, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development is launching the BACK TO SLEEP information campaign on a large scale. This reiterates the importance of having the baby only sleep on its back as it is safer.
The results of the BACK TO SLEEP prevention campaign, later also known as SAFE TO SLEEP, were nothing short of fantastic.
Cases of cot death syndrome decreased by more than 50% in just 10 years, from an incidence of 1.2 children per 1000 live births in 1992 to an incidence of 0.56 per 1000 live births in 2001.
However, together with the decrease in SIDS, è increased exponentially the time spent by children in supine position. Parents, frightened by the risk of cot death, started to place the baby in a supine position both when sleeping and when awake during the day.
As a result, there was a drastic increase in positional cranial deformities.
Sids and flathead
The increase in positional head deformities was such that, a few years after the BACK TO SLEEP campaign began, theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics also associated the slogan with the importance of TUMMY TO PLAY.
Now let me explain what the slogan suggested ''Back to sleep, Tummy to play''.
In practice, the infant had to be positioned supine to sleep (back to sleep) but, when awake and supervised by the parent, had to be positioned prone to play (tummy to play).
Importance Tummy Time
The addition of this clarification was very important: a routine of tummy time (time spent on the belly playing) decreases the time the infant spends supine with its head resting. This prevents the risk of developing a positional head deformity.
Furthermore, it has been shown that tummy time offered to the infant from its first weeks of life facilitates the development of muscle tone and coordination. In this way, it will be possible for the child to achieve proper motor development in the first 12-15 months of life.
Conclusions
Unfortunately, in spite of these highlighted benefits, the dual importance of tummy time has taken a back seat and is little known to parents.
This, in conjunction with the absence of effective guidelines for the prevention of flat-headedness, has over time contributed to positional head deformities being one of the most common problems in infants.
In order to intervene and provide the necessary information to parents on the prevention of flat-headedness and safe sleeping of the newborn, I recorded two video courses. "Bye bye flathead"provides the knowledge to prevent the occurrence of cranial postural deformities. The video course on infant safety comprises 3 courses: Safe Sleep + Security at home + What to do in case of poisoning. In fact, it contains all the information for the health of one's own babysince birth on the subject of security.
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