The death of a child is one that most parents can’t imagine. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is like a monster hiding in the closet; we don’t like to believe it’s there, but we’re afraid that it may be. The worst part of SIDS is the unknown. Researchers are beginning to find some clues that point to risks, but they still don’t know what really causes it. That means any child is at risk.

October is SIDS Awareness Month. SIDS, also called crib death because it happens most often while the baby is sleeping, usually strikes children before two and four …read more

So many stories about transplants really tug at your heart, but ones that include children and babies can be incredibly poignant. When I put out an appeal to speak to people about organ transplants, I was contacted by Ed Weir. He told me his story of their 1-month-old daughter, Rachel. Rachel died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) 22 years ago. Most often when a child dies of SIDS, the child is discovered too late for their organs to be used in transplantation. In this case, Rachel’s death was discovered immediately. And because of that, many other children were saved …read more

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is the leading cause of death among children less than a year old, and that’s why pediatricians and researchers are adamant in getting the message out to put baby on his back during sleep.
Death of these babies, at 2,500 annually, is both sudden and unexplained, but there are steps parents can do to prevent or lower the risk of SIDS. Aside from “back to sleep”, parents are told to use a firm sleep surface and keep soft toys and blankets out of the crib, avoid overheating the baby and put the baby in …read more