Scientists could be one step closer to ending the heartache of cot death after a breakthrough in spotting those babies most at risk. Researchers say they have found a way of identifying those babies most vulnerable to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) while they are still alive.
It is hoped their discovery could help save lives of those babies most likely to fall victim to the heartbreaking condition which claims the lives of about 200 children in the United Kingdom every year. According to the research carried out in Australia it appears babies who died of SIDS had lower levels of an enzyme which helps people wake from sleep.
Dr Carmel Harrington, who lost her own child to SIDS 29 years ago, and led the study said: "Babies have a very powerful mechanism to let us know when they are not happy. Usually, if a baby is confronted with a life-threatening situation, such as difficulty breathing during sleep because they are on their tummies, they will arouse and cry out. What this research shows is that some babies don’t have this same robust arousal response,”
