One of the most heartbreaking and frustrating diagnoses discussed today is that of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome. Although the term has been used for years, it is considered a diagnosis of exclusion, the explanation behind the death of a child when there is no other apparent cause of death.

SIDS is the number one cause of death to infants between one and 12 months of age. There is speculation and theory as to what factors actually cause SIDS and, in the past, the medical community has issued suggestions for making babies as safe from the threat of SIDS as possible, although these suggestions change as new scientific data is amassed.

The newest measure to protect infants from SIDS is also one of the easiest - install a fan in the baby’s room. One theory of SIDS is that babies inhale the carbon dioxide-rich air they’ve just expelled when they are sleeping on their sides or stomachs and are too young to move their faces for easier access to fresh air. Having a fan in operation in the baby’s sleeping room improves the circulation of fresh air, reducing a baby’s risk of SIDS by as much as 72%, according to the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, which published its findings in the October issue of the journal, Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

A long-standing risk factor for SIDS has been that soft bedding increases a baby’s risk of dying from SIDS and parents have been advised to minimize all the soft, cuddly toys and excess pillows and blankets from a baby’s crib or bed to minimize the risk of suffocation. Also advised is placing an infant on his or her back to sleep instead of placing the child on his or her side or stomach.

While still a mystery, SIDS research shows a higher risk to babies in households where a smoker also lives, who experienced premature delivery or low birth rate, or are of African or American Indian descent. Boys are more likely than girls to die of SIDS and most such deaths occur in fall and winter months.

To minimize the risk of SIDS, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development recommends always placing infants on their backs to sleep and using firm infant mattresses that fit the child’s bed or crib, and avoiding extraneous soft bedding. The institute also urges parents to designate a sleeping environment for an infant that is separate from where adults or larger children are sleeping and to make sure the infant doesn’t overheat while sleeping. Also important is to keep the infant away from people who are smoking.