Smoking ban may cut cot death numbers
Smoking is a major factor in cot death, or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), with babies exposed to smoking four times more likely to die.
According to the National Sudden Infant Death Register, the number of parents who smoke has fallen by almost a quarter over the past 10 years, but the Government-funded body is hopeful the ban on smoking will further reduce the number of parents who smoke and babies’ exposure to smoke in public places.
“We are hopeful the smoking ban will reduce the number of parents who smoke. It certainly seems to be reducing the number of smokers and the amount of cigarettes people are smoking,” Corina Hamilton, researcher at the National SID Register, said.
In its Caring for your Child leaflet, the National SID Register says the increased risk of SIDS applies not only to parents moking, but to any smoking in the house. The risk also increases with the number of cigarettes smoked.
“Smoking around your children affects their health. Children exposed to smoke have a higher risk of developing asthma, respiratory problems such as bronchitis and pneumonia and are at an increased risk of SIDS.
“As these risks to your child’s health increase with the number of cigarettes that are smoked each day, it is best if no one smokes in your home. Avoid, if at all possible, taking your children into smoke-filled areas,” the leaflet reads.
The National SID Register also advises against parents sharing their bed with their newborn child.
Non-smoking parents should not share a bed with their child until the baby is at least eight weeks old, while parents who smoke are advised to leave their child sleep in a cot until they are 20 weeks old.
“The risk of SIDS increases seven times if a parent who smokes shares a bed with their infant. There is less risk of SIDS if the baby sleeps in a cot in their parents’ bedroom for the first six months,” Ms Hamilton said.
However, she wanted to assure breastfeeding mothers there is no risk to their baby if they take them into bed while feeding them, once the child is returned to sleep in his or her cot.
SIDS is now at its lowest rate in Ireland, she said. Figures released in April show SIDS occurs in 0.06% of births, down from 0.25% in the 1980s.
Irish Sudden Infant Death Association helpline: 1850-391391.
