Newborn Hearing Test May Predict SIDS

[Ivan Seeking]

...We've found for the first time that there's something going on in the hearing of SIDS babies," he says. "This is totally new and we've never had this before."

His study found that the group of newborns who later died from SIDS shared the same hearing tests results. The scores, reflecting inner ear function, were significantly lower in the right ear than in the left, something not usually seen in healthy infants. [continued]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/30/eveningnews/main3115525.shtml

...The findings don't prove that hearing tests will identify babies at risk for SIDS. So the researchers plan further studies to investigate what they describe as a "potential association" between inner ear damage and breathing control.[continued]

http://children.webmd.com/news/20070727/newborn-hearing-test-may-predict-sids

 

[BoomBoom]

Hmmm, I was under the assumption that SIDS was caused by ignorant doctors in the 60's and 70's telling new mothers that they should put their babies face-down to sleep and they were suffocating. Didn't SIDS cases drop in the 80's and 90's?

Of course, I could be the ignorant one... :uhh:

 

[ravenprp]

This is a groundbreaking discovery that has the potential to greatly impact the prevention and understanding of SIDS. The fact that there is a correlation between inner ear function and SIDS is a significant finding that could lead to further research and potentially new preventative measures. It is also important to note that this is just the beginning and more studies are needed to fully understand the link between hearing tests and SIDS. However, this is a promising step towards reducing the number of SIDS cases and providing answers to families who have lost a child to this tragic syndrome. It is crucial that we continue to support and fund research in this area to further our understanding of SIDS and work towards preventing it.