Air Pollution Linked To Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: What Parents Need To Know

Air pollution could be linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death, a study has found.

The research, carried out by University of Birmingham and funded by The Lullaby Trust, found evidence suggesting an association between SIDS and exposure to airborne pollutants: PM10 and nitrous dioxide (NO). Other pollutants were not found to be associated with SIDS.

Researchers looked at levels of air pollution the day before a SIDS death and compared them to levels on a previous reference day. The study involved over 200 SIDS cases in the West Midlands, between 1996 and 2006.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the harmful effects of air pollution cause 3.7 million premature deaths each year. Children are more vulnerable than any other group and recent increases in fossil fuel emissions mean that understanding the effects of air pollution on child heath is more relevant than ever.

KatarzynaBialasiewicz via Getty Images

'Further research is needed to understand more about the link between air pollution and SIDS.'

When it comes to what parents can do to reduce the effects of exposure to pollution on their child, the study’s authors draw attention to advice that suggests:

:: Staying indoors on days with higher levels of pollution

:: Cleaning systems for air in the home such as air purifiers.

You can find out the current level of air pollution in your region by heading to the Defra website; click a coloured area on the map to view information. The results are based on the maximum air quality index measured across all stations in each region. The colour code highlights whether the level is “low”, up to “very high”. Click here to find out what the pollution level is where you live.

Francine Bates, chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, said the charity advises parents to follow safer sleep guidelines which are known to reduce the risk of SIDS. These include:

:: Sleeping their baby on their back on a firm, flat surface

:: Ensuring the cot is clear and free of teddies and blankets

:: Not exposing them to secondhand cigarette smoke.

The study was published in the BMJ Open.

Before You Go

What To Do With Your Best Family Travel Photos

Make them art(01 of08)

Who doesn't love a bit of a craft session with the kids? Get inspired with Haeley from Design Improvised's DIY photo art tutorial and lend a little embellishment to your photo prints. A great way to add a pop of colour and some texture to black-and-white photographs, this also might just be the perfect rainy-day activity. Scissors (and glue, and coloured paper) at the ready. Glitter optional. (credit:Design Improvised)

Turn them into something practical(02 of08)

Your gorgeous kids' faces aren't just for bragging rights anymore. Why not use them to keep your coffee table from getting trashed? Instagram-style photo coasters are a great way to display the funny and silly pictures you might not deem frame-worthy. They're also practical and work as great gifts for loved ones. Plus, you can make them yourself - just follow the instructions on Honest & Truly's blog to become a DIYer extraordinaire. (credit:Honest and Truly)

Use them to plan more adventures(03 of08)

The world map poster is a fail-safe design piece in any home (and any room of the house, for that matter), sure to inspire even more wanderlust among family members. Instead of marking places you've visited with push pins alone - so meh! - why not add in photos of your brood in travel mode to personalise your map and showcase some of your favourite holiday spots? Currently, Kelsie shows us how it's done (using a map of the U.S.A.). (credit:Currently, Kelsie)

Display them in unexpected places(04 of08)

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and given how much time we spend in front of our refrigerator, we won't dispute the point. The kitchen is also a prime display space for your photos. Turning holiday snaps into fridge magnets is a genius way to get a smile on everyone's face at mealtimes and to showcase a wide variety of people and places. Bonus: that pic of your little one on the slopes at half-term can now help keep those school letters from getting lost. This step-by-step tutorial from Crafts by Amanda shows us how it's done. (credit:Crafts by Amanda)

Wear them(05 of08)

Your most cherished photos don't need to be confined to the four walls of your home: transform them into something wearable to create even more precious mementos. This tutorial from Ginger Snap Crafts directs you to the tools needed and provides simple instructions for how to make your own photo pendants. Gives new meaning to the phrase wearing your heart on your sleeve... (credit:Ginger Snap Crafts)

Frame them in an interesting way(06 of08)

If you've got one or two special photos you want to display, adding a playful and stylish border can transform a plain Ikea frame into an eye-catching statement piece. Follow the tutorial on Mod Podge Rocks to make this DIY map craft photo frame, which sets your travel photos against a map backdrop of the place you visited. Perfect for helping sleep-deprived parents remember where their travel photos are actually from...

Hello Lidy offers an alternative tutorial featuring a single photo. (credit:Mod Podge Rocks)

Make a scrapbook(07 of08)

As any parent knows, there is nothing kids love more than flipping through books starring themselves. Putting together a scrapbook of your family travel adventures is a fun activity which creates a go-to memento that the kids will pick up again and again. It's also a great way to preserve all of the tickets, postcards and "treasures" the kids have collected along the way (all hundreds of them). The Life of Angela shows us how it's done with a Peru adventure that she organised by city and location. (credit:The Life of Angela)

Create a travel album(08 of08)

This travel album from Saturday Morning Vintage shows another way to put together your photos into a keepsake book, with the trip organised in chronological order and pictures collaged together to save on space. (credit:Saturday Morning Vintage)