New research moves closer to solving the mystery of cot death


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Vital new genetic research could go a long way towards preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), otherwise known as cot death.

Somewhere in the region of four hundred babies die in the UK each year of unexplained, unexpected and very sudden death. It is every parent’s worse nightmare.

Various potential contributory factors have been pinpointed in recent years. These include (controversially) the type of mattress the baby has been sleeping on, the position in which he or she is placed down to sleep (it is recommended that babies are laid on their backs) and whether or not the mother smoked in pregnancy.

Now all these various theory might be about to be turned on their respective heads. Research being undertaken by Dr David Drucker and his team at the University of Manchester, as published in the Human Immunology journal, indicates that babies carrying a certain form of gene – linked to the functioning of the immune system – are three times more likely to die suddenly than babies who don’t.

Dr Drucker has also gone on record as saying that, as a result of recent findings, new treatments could be on the cards. He was quoted in the Daily Express as saying, ‘Ultimately this will improve our ability to identify in advance which babies will be at risk of SIDS. On the basis of this initial study, we hope that with future research we can find other things to look for and take steps to prevent SIDS’.

And the steps he refers to? Dr Drucker goes on to clarify, ‘Once a baby who is at risk is identified, mothers can be personally advised to eliminate risk factors such as smoking and those leading to low birthrate.’

The next tranche of follow up research will be funded by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Death who welcome the opportunity to uncover any information that might identify babies most in danger, saying, ‘The recognition of babies who are at risk would be a great step forward.’

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths 0207 222 8001

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