What is cot death and how common is it?
Cot death (sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS) is when a baby dies suddenly for no known reason. Cot death is uncommon. About 1 in 2000 babies die due to cot death in the UK. That is, about 250 babies a year in the UK. Most cases occur in babies under the age of five months. However, the number of cases in the UK has fallen sharply since the introduction of the ‘Reduce the Risk’ campaign in 1991. (In 1990 more than 3 in 1000 babies died of cot death.) This campaign was launched because research showed that the fashion at the time for placing babies to sleep on their front increased the risk of a cot death. The campaign has resulted in most parents now knowing that the safest position for a young baby to sleep is on their back. In addition to the sleeping position, other factors can reduce the risk of a cot death. These are detailed below.
