Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby less than 1 year old. SIDS is sometimes called crib death because it usually occurs when babies are asleep in their cribs. SIDS is a silent killer.

About 2,300 babies die of SIDS each year in the US. It is the most common cause of death in babies between the ages of 2 weeks to 1 year. It most often occurs in babies between 2 months and 4 months old. It occurs more often in African American and Native American babies than in Caucasian babies and is slightly more common in boys than in girls.

SIDS doesn’t have any recognizable symptoms. It happens to babies that appear healthy. A diagnosis of SIDS is one of exclusion. The diagnosis is generally made if no clear cause of death can be determined after a thorough investigation that includes an autopsy.

There are certain factors that increase a baby’s risk of dying from SIDS. The most important is laying down a baby to sleep on the stomach or side rather than the back. Other factors that increase risk include:

• A family history of SIDS.
• Being overheated with blankets or a high room temperature.
• Co-sleeping (sharing a bed with a parent or caretaker).
• Having a mattress that’s too soft.
• Having soft objects in the crib, such as stuffed toys, bumper pads, quilts and pillows
• Being born prematurely or having a low birth weight.
• A mother younger than 20 years old.
• A mother who received inadequate or no prenatal care.
• A mother who smoked, drank alcohol or took drugs during pregnancy.
• Exposure to secondhand smoke.

The cause of SIDS is unknown but researchers are studying certain theories. Many believe that SIDS is related to a baby’s inability to arouse from sleep when not getting sufficient oxygen from breathing. As a result, carbon dioxide builds up in the bloodstream. A high level of carbon dioxide can lead to death. Some researchers believe this occurs because the center in the baby’s brain that controls arousal is not fully developed.

The proposed “Triple-Risk Model” suggests that three factors combine to cause SIDS. This theory holds that SIDS occurs when an underlying brain abnormality and a triggering event, such as a poor sleep position (sleeping on the stomach), occur during a vulnerable stage in a baby’s development, essentially the first six months of life.

It may be frightening to know that there’re no symptoms to be alert for and no clear cause of SIDS, so there’s no way to prevent it from happening. But there are some tips for reducing a baby’s risk for SIDS. These include:

• Lay your baby on his or her back when putting him or her down for a nap and at night.
• Avoid overheating your baby. Don’t tightly swaddle your baby in a blanket and keep the room temperature at a level that’s comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.
• Don’t co-sleep with your baby or let your baby sleep with other children or adults.
• Choose a firm, safety-approved crib mattress and use a fitted sheet.
• Keep toys, bumper pads, fluffy blankets, quilts and pillows out of the crib when the baby is sleeping.
• Don’t smoke, drink or take drugs while pregnant and if breastfeeding.
• Get proper prenatal care during pregnancy.
• Don’t let anyone smoke around your baby.
• Set up your baby’s sleep area close to you but separate from your bedroom or those of other children.

In addition, make sure everyone who cares for your baby – including grandparents and other relatives, babysitters and friends – knows these recommendations. And consider sharing these tips with other parents and caregivers of infants.

Patti DiPanfilo

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is observed every September by cancer organizations around the globe. According to the American Cancer Society, about 10,470 children in the US younger than 15 will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and about 1,050 children in that age group are expected to die from it. After accidents, cancer is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14.

The most common cancers in children are not the same as those seen most often in adults. When adults get cancer, it often begins in the lungs, breast, colon, prostate or skin. But in children, cancer tends to affect their white blood cells, nervous system, brain, bones, lymphatic system, muscles or kidneys.

How cancer spreads and is treated is typically different for children, too. That’s mostly due to children’s unique response to treatment. Another difference between childhood cancers and adult cancers is that the recovery rate is higher in children. Most children with cancer can be cured.

Thanks to advances in diagnosis and treatment over the years, 85 percent of children that are diagnosed with cancer now survive five years or longer. In the 1970s, that figure stood at 58 percent, so we’ve come a long way.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer, accounting for approximately 34 percent of all cancers in children. Leukemia is a cancer that begins in the bone marrow and spreads to the blood. From there, it can travel to other parts of the body. Three out of four leukemia cases are ALL.

Tumors of the brain and nervous system are also common in children, making up about 27 percent of childhood cancers. Central nervous system tumors are cancers of the brain and spinal cord. CNS tumors are the most common solid tumors in childhood, and they have the highest mortality rate of the childhood cancers.

Lymphoma is a less common childhood cancer that affects special cells called lymphocytes that are part of the body’s immune system. Lymphomas target the lymphatic system, the network of vessels, organs and tissues that carry clear fluid called lymph, which contains disease-fighting white blood cells through the body.

There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma, also called Hodgkin disease, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes. It can start almost anywhere in the body and then spread to just about any organ or tissue. These often include the liver, bone marrow and spleen.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma affects the T and B lymphocytes, which are the immune system’s natural killer cells. These cells are produced in the bone marrow, then travel to the lymph glands and to the thymus gland, intestinal tract, tonsils and spleen. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can start in any of those areas.

Fortunately, childhood lymphoma is rare. Only about 8 percent of childhood cancers are lymphomas: 5 percent of children with cancer will have non-Hodgkin lymphoma while 3 percent will have Hodgkin lymphoma.

Certain cancers in adults and children are hereditary. But in adults, many other factors can contribute to the development of cancer. These include lifestyle and environment influences such as exposure to cigarette smoke, asbestos and ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

But in children, cancer is most often the result of DNA mutations that occur very early in the life or while the child is developing in the womb. As such, lifestyle and environmental factors play only a minor role in the development of childhood cancers.

There are multiple treatment options for childhood cancer. The treatment options depend on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. Among the types of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and stem cell transplants.

Each childhood cancer has its own signs and symptoms, but there are some general ones. Possible signs and symptoms include:

• An unusual lump or swelling
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• An ongoing pain in one area of the body
• Unexplained fever or illness that doesn’t go away
• Frequent headaches, often with vomiting
• Sudden unexplained weight loss

A child displaying any of these signs and symptoms should be taken to a physician for an evaluation. Early detection helps ensure a positive outcome from childhood cancer.

Patti DiPanfilo

Your baby’s vision at birth is limited but develops progressively during the growth process. While developing, your child’s vision is vulnerable to eye diseases. Untreated, vision disorders can interfere with your child’s ability to learn and play, and can lead to headaches, eyestrain and fatigue.

August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, a time to concentrate on the well-being of our children’s eyes as they head back to school.

There are many conditions and diseases that can affect a child’s vision.

Refractive errors are among them. The most common are:

• Myopia, or nearsightedness, when closer objects are clear but faraway objects are not.
• Hyperopia, or farsightedness, which is difficulty seeing close-up objects but faraway objects are clear.
• Astigmatism, blurry vision due to an irregular shape of the cornea, the clear, outer layer at the front of the eye.

Eyeglasses are typically prescribed to treat these refractive errors and provide clear vision.

Amblyopia and strabismus are other common eye disorders in children.

• Amblyopia, or lazy eye, is characterized by reduced vision from lack of use in one otherwise healthy eye. Treatment typically consists of patching the stronger eye or blurring the vision in the stronger eye with eyedrops. These techniques make the weaker eye work harder and become stronger.

• Strabismus, or crossed eyes, is when the eyes are misaligned. One or both eyes may turn inward, outward, up or down. It can be caused by problems with the eye muscles, the nerves that transmit information to the muscles or the control center in the brain responsible for eye movement. Treatment includes glasses, eye patching, muscle surgery to straighten the eyes and eye exercises.

Other nonrefractive conditions include:

• Glaucoma, a condition associated with a higher-than-normal fluid pressure inside the eyes.
• Cataracts, a clouding of the lens.
• Retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of nerve tissue lining the back wall of the eye.

Catching and treating eye disorders early will help a child develop healthy vision and avoid learning difficulties at home and in school. Eye care for children begins at birth. A pediatrician will perform a screening eye exam on a baby after birth. This exam can detect abnormalities in the light reflex from the pupil and eye alignment, as well as in external features of the eye.

The pediatrician will continue to check the eyes and vision during routine well-baby visits. There’s disagreement among eye specialists as to when a child should begin seeing an eye doctor for eye exams and how often a child should be examined. Follow doctor’s recommendations, which are based on your child’s specific circumstances.

Here are some things a parent can do to help protect a child’s eyes and developing vision:

• Encourage healthy eating. Healthy vision is influenced by the food we eat. Try to incorporate many fruits and vegetables into the child’s diet. Fruits and vegetables contain many of the vitamins and minerals necessary for maintaining healthy eyes and vision.
• Spend time outdoors. Playing outside for at least an hour a day, or even just taking a walk outdoors, will help eye muscles relax. It can also help lower the risk of certain eye conditions, including myopia.
• Wear sunglasses outdoors. Wearing sunglasses protects eyes from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Excessive exposure to UV radiation over time has been linked to serious eye diseases later in life.
• Wear protective eyewear while playing sports. Avoid serious eye injuries by wearing protective eyewear with shatterproof plastic. Different sports have different eyewear recommendations.
• Limit screen time. Prolonged time staring at computer and television screens may cause blurry vision, focusing problems and possibly even increase your the risk for developing myopia. Limit the amount of time on digital devices each day and ensure the child takes frequent breaks to the eyes a rest.

Set a good example for your child. Incorporate these tips into your own life as well.

If you suspect a problem with your child’s eyes or vision, contact a qualified eye doctor who can diagnose and treat the problem.

Patti DiPanfilo

December is a month of multiple religious and cultural celebrations. A tradition common to these celebrations is the giving of gifts to our loved ones, particularly our children. We all want to make our kids happy this holiday season. But before you give them that toy they’ve been asking for, make sure it’s safe. That’s the message of National Safe Toys and Gifts Month.

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has established strict toy safety guidelines that include rigorous testing by independent, third-party laboratories, enforcing rigid lead and phthalate limits for toys, and imposing stringent standards to stop dangerous toys from reaching the marketplace and getting into children’s hands.

In spite of these efforts, thousands of children are injured every year as a result of playing with unsafe toys. A report released by the CPSC revealed that in 2020, there were nine deaths and nearly 150,000 emergency room visits for toy-related injuries in children ages 14 and younger.

Actually, those figures represent an ongoing decline in toy-related incidents compared to the past two years. In 2019, there were 14 toy-related deaths and 224,200 injuries. In 2018, there were 17 deaths and 226,100 injuries treated in US emergency rooms. Fortunately, more than 90 percent of the injured children were treated and released.

The most common toy-related injuries treated in emergency rooms included lacerations, contusions and abrasions, strains and sprains, fractures, internal injuries, ingestion of toys or toy parts, concussions, dislocations and puncture injuries. Nonmotorized scooters were associated with several of the reported deaths each year.

The best way to avoid a toy-related injury is to be proactive when selecting toys and gifts for your children. Before you buy, consult a watchdog website, such as toysafety.org, the website of World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H.), for a list of recent toy recalls. But not all unsafe toys are recalled, so follow these tips before you purchase a toy:

• Read all instructions and warnings listed on the packaging.
• Ask yourself if the toy is appropriate for your child’s age and developmental abilities.
• Avoid buying toys with sharp edges, rigid points or spikes.
• Buy toys that can withstand impact and will not break into pieces that can be a choking hazard or cause other injuries,
• Look for the letters “ASTM” on the toy or packaging. That means the toy has met the safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
• Avoid toys that shoot, such as BB guns, or include parts that fly off.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind this National Safe Toys and Gifts Month:

• Be sure the gifts you give are age appropriate. Playing with toys above a child’s age and level of maturity can lead to misuse and potential injury. Toy manufacturers list the age the toy is appropriate for on the packaging.
• Learn how to properly use the toy first, then teach your children how to use it.
• Buy quality toys. They might be more expensive, but high-quality materials are less likely to break into pieces and lead to injury.
• Inspect your children’s gifts as they open them to be sure they are safe before allowing them to play with the toys.
• If you give your children sports equipment, give them the appropriate protective gear for the sport as well, such as helmets for riding toys. Make sure the gear is sized to fit your child.
• A gift that includes art supplies should be labeled “non-toxic.”
• Keep small toys, “button” batteries and other potential choking hazards away from children under 3 years old.
• Keep deflated balloons away from children under 8. Immediately throw away balloons that won’t inflate or have popped.
• Discard plastic wrapping and other toy packaging right away before they become dangerous playthings for young children.

According to WATCH., online shoppers are at a disadvantage because they cannot physically inspect the toys before purchasing them. Unfortunately, there are some disreputable online retailers that may omit warnings and cautions and provide incomplete or misleading information regarding a toy’s safety. Further, unsafe and recalled toys can resurface on online websites.

If you shop for toys online, be sure to carefully inspect the toy and its packaging for obvious hazards before giving it to your child. “Don’t let your child unwrap a potential safety hazard this holiday season,” states Joan Lawrence of The Toy Association, a site for toy safety information. “By shopping smart, you can ensure safe play.”

As the summer rages on, coronavirus infection rates continue to climb across the country. States such as Texas, Arizona and Florida are seeing record spikes on an almost daily basis. As of July 15, there were more than 3.41 million infections and at least 134,000 deaths from the virus in the US, and it’s not done.

Unfortunately, in the midst of all this bad news another negative trend is emerging. Some states are seeing an increase in the number of young people being admitted to the hospital for COVID-19. That flies in the face of a commonly held belief that young people don’t get seriously ill from the coronavirus.

It remains true that the majority of people being hospitalized for COVID-19 are older Americans, and the death rate in the younger population is still very low. But the new reports from hospitals across the country are proving not only that more young people are getting infected but that they’re also getting sick enough to require hospitalization.

At one Arizona hospital, six COVID-19 patients in their 20s were admitted by a physician during one shift on Sunday. Most of those patients, the physician noted, were young, healthy individuals before contracting the virus. Across Arizona, people between the ages of 20 and 44 make up 20 percent of currently hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

At a Houston hospital, more than 60 percent of the patients hospitalized by the coronavirus in March and April were over the age of 55, while about 20 percent were under 55. In June and July, the percentage of patients under 50 climbed to 40 percent.

The rising infection rate in younger people may be explained by the fact that a high percentage are overweight and have a history of smoking or vaping. These risk factors can contribute to the development of a severe illness from the coronavirus. Young people are also more likely to gather in large crowds, attend parties and shun social distancing, believing they are immune to the virus.

And then there’s Florida, one of the worst coronavirus hotspots. According to a report released July 10, at least 31 percent of children who were tested for the coronavirus recorded positive. As part of a state initiate, 54,022 Florida residents under 18 were tested and 16,797 tests came back positive. The positivity rate for Florida’s entire population is approximately 11 percent.

This report comes as Florida, along with many other states, debates the risk of returning students to school this fall. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children and adolescents are “less likely to be symptomatic and less likely to have severe disease” from COVID-19 infection. But they can still carry the virus and infect others.

In May, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory about a severe inflammatory condition discovered in children believed to be associated with the coronavirus called MIS-C. Florida’s pediatric report notes there have been 13 cases of MIS-C in children under 18 in the state.

To be fair, not all states have experienced a rise in infections and hospitalizations of younger patients. Some states, such as Colorado and Idaho, report that their age distribution has remained fairly flat. In California, the average age of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has decreased, but only slightly, from 64 at the beginning of the pandemic to 57 in early July.

Another key finding in the ongoing fight against COVID-19 is that the most disproportionately affected young people are those of color, especially those who have underlying medical conditions. And young people of color are more likely to experience chronic health conditions associated with poor COVID-19 outcomes.

Common chronic conditions affecting minorities include diabetes, obesity, asthma, hypertension and heart disease. These conditions increase the risk of severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. They affect people of color, including young people, at higher rates than non-Hispanic whites, putting them at higher risk for serious COVID-19 infections.

For everyone’s sake, continue to practice the recommended safety precautions: Wash your hands frequently, wear a mask in public and stay 6 feet away from others.