Cot Death News and Research

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Cot death or crib death is sudden and unexpected death of a baby within 1 year of age. In most cases the reasons for death after a post-mortem examination remain unexplained and the death may be registered as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), sudden infant death, or sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUID).

Children who have at least one parent who smokes have 5.5 times higher levels of cotinine

Having a mother that smokes was found to have the biggest independent effect on cotinine in the urine , quadrupling it. Having a smoking father doubled the amount of cotinine, one of chemicals produced when the body breaks down nicotine from inhaled smoke to get rid of it.

20 Jun 2007

Babies with parents who smoke have cotinine in their urine

British scientists say babies with parents who smoke have five times as much cotinine, a nicotine byproduct, in their urine than infants whose parents are non-smokers.

20 Jun 2007

Recurrence of SIDS overestimated

Recurrence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is rare and has been overestimated by studies which have tried to quantify it, says a review published online ahead of print in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

15 Jun 2007

Overdiagnosis of congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS)

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) can be lethal if not diagnosed -- yet recent increased awareness of the disorder may lead to diagnosing patients when they don't have the syndrome and then prescribing treatments that restrict patients' lifestyles, a new Mayo Clinic study shows.

1 Jun 2007

Tobacco industry cops it from the WHO

The tobacco industry has been severely criticised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for misleading the public on the dangers of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

31 May 2007

New reforms as a result of the Sally Clark case could cut the number of unexplained infant deaths

Reforms introduced as a result of the Sally Clark case could lead to a halving in the number of cases of unexplained infant deaths and a positive legacy emerging from tragedy, says a feature in this week's BMJ.

28 May 2007

Link between mild infection and hypoxic apnoea

Apnoea and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) represent major medical concerns in the neonatal population, and infection may play a crucial role in their pathogenesis.

28 May 2007

Low glucose levels offer clue to infant cot deaths

Researchers in Scotland have found what they believe is a link between infant cot deaths and low blood glucose levels.

9 May 2007

Doctors ill equipped to confront parent smoking

With the growing concerns of children's exposure to secondhand smoke, it has become more critical than ever to involve health care providers such as pediatricians in educating parents about the potential hazardous health consequences.

2 May 2007

Researcher aims for better understanding of human breathing disorders

If you gasp at Jon Kelty's research, the Central Michigan University professor likely will take note.

1 May 2007

Smoke from other people's burning tobacco kills

The debate is over, according to a 2006 surgeon general's report on secondhand smoke.

5 Apr 2007

Race affects passive smoke absorption in children

New research suggests that a child's race may be a factor in determining his/her susceptibility to tobacco toxins associated with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).

13 Mar 2007

SIDS risk lowered by use of pacifier

The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the third leading cause of infant death, may be lowered through the use of a pacifier.

13 Mar 2007

Winter colds, over-wrapping increase risk of SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) - the leading cause of death in infants under 1 year of age can happen at any time. But parents and caregivers should be extra careful during the cold winter months, when the flu and other infections and the urge to bundle up babies extra warmly increase the risk of SIDS, say experts from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

18 Feb 2007