Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 May 1992

Vol. 420 No. 3

Written Answers. - Infant Death Statistics.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

126 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Health the number of babies who die each year from sudden infant death syndrome; if there are suspected causes; if he will outline the precautions which can be taken; if the monitoring devices which are available on the market are of any benefit, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Health (Dr. O'Connell)

The number of children under one year of age who died suddenly and where the cause of death was unknown in each of the last 4 years is as follows:

Year	Number
1991	84*
1990	101
1989	99
1988	124

*Provisional

The causes of Sudden Infant Death are not known. As a result of recent studies concerning Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Cot Death) and following consultation between the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health and the Faculty of Paediatrics of the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland, my Department recommend the following guidelines which may help parents and those caring for babies to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Deaths:

—a baby should be placed on his or her back or side to sleep

—babies should not be allowed to become too warm

—expectant mothers should not smoke nor allow anyone to smoke near the baby during the first year of life

—if at all possible mothers should breastfeed babies for the first few weeks, not because this in itself reduces the risk of cot death, but because it may reduce the risk of infection.

In 1991 a grant of £24,500 was made from the National Lottery funds to the Irish Sudden Infant Death Association (ISIDA) and further grants of £23,000 are committed in both 1992 and 1993 towards the cost of establishing a national register of cot deaths. This register will form a valuable data base for research into the problem.

The use of appropriate monitoring devices may from time to time be recommended by a family doctor or a Public Health Nurse. Families who are concerned are advised to contact their family doctor or Public Health Nurse on those matters.