Health Information

Premature infants are at higher risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than full-term babies. The reason may be that a preemie's nervous system is underdeveloped.

Australian researchers conducted sleep tests on 25 premature infants and 31 full-term infants and found that the baroreflex mechanism, which controls blood pressure, may not be fully functioning in preemies. As a result, the reflex may not respond quickly enough if blood pressure drops during sleep.

"Infants die during sleep because they fail to respond appropriately to a life-threatening situation such as a fall in blood pressure," says Rosemary Horne, Ph.D., at the Monash Institute of Medical Research in Victoria, Australia.

Normal reaction

Normally, she says, "if there is a fall in blood pressure, heart rate will increase and the blood vessels will constrict to raise blood pressure. Conversely, if there is a surge in blood pressure, heart rate will fall and the blood vessels dilate to reduce blood pressure again."

The nervous system isn't the only system that may be underdeveloped in a premature infant. Preemies also often have respiratory problems or heart problems because their lungs and heart may not be fully developed.

Preventive steps

Doctors can't hurry along the development of the nervous system in a preemie, but parents can take steps to help lower the risk for SIDS in these children. The key steps are:

• Place the infant on his or her back to sleep at night and at naptime.
• Use a firm mattress with a fitted sheet in the crib.
• Don't place blankets, soft toys, or bumpers in the crib with the infant.
• Breastfeed if possible.
• Keep the infant away from secondhand smoke.

Help needed

"It is critical to try to give these babies every advantage they can get," says Rachel Y. Moon, M.D., at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

The study was published in a recent issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.