Has the Cause of Crib
Death (SIDS) Been Found?
Parents Denied Crucial
Findings
By Jane Sheppard
Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome. These four words can incite a considerable amount of terror in a
parent of an infant. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as crib or
cot death, is the number one cause of death for infants from one month to one
year of age. 90% of all SIDS deaths are in babies under six months old. Ongoing
SIDS research occasionally leads to discoveries of risk factors associated with
these deaths, but after almost 50 years, researchers say they still do not know
how or why it happens. The prevailing official viewpoint on SIDS is that the
cause is unknown (SIDS Alliance 2001).
It may seem inconceivable
that over a million babies have died of this "syndrome", and after almost half a
century and many millions of dollars spent, no one in this age of science and
technology can tell us why. But what parents are virtually oblivious to (through
no fault of their own) is that a highly convincing explanation for this tragedy
has been found, along with a simple means of eliminating it. This explanation is
backed by a significant amount of evidence, but has been and continues to be
completely ignored by SIDS organizations, the medical community, and the
government - for a variety of reasons, including politics, financial liability,
and vested interests. Publication of these findings continues to be denied and
suppressed. The result is that babies continue to be at risk from deaths that
may easily be prevented.
Toxic Gases in Mattresses
Dr. Jim Sprott, OBE, a New
Zealand scientist and chemist, states with certainty that crib death is caused
by
toxic gases, which can be generated from a baby's mattress. Chemical
compounds containing phosphorus, arsenic and antimony have been added to
mattresses as fire retardants and for other purposes since the early 1950's. A
fungus that commonly grows in bedding can interact with these chemicals to
create poisonous gases (Richardson 1994). These heavier-than-air gases are
concentrated in a thin layer on the baby's mattress or are diffused away and
dissipated into the surrounding atmosphere. If a baby breathes or absorbs a
lethal dose of the gases, the central nervous system shuts down, stopping
breathing and then heart function. These gases can fatally poison a baby,
without waking the sleeping baby and without any struggle by the baby. A normal
autopsy would not reveal any sign that the baby was poisoned (Sprott 1996).
In spite of denial and
opposition from orthodox SIDS organizations, no research has disproved this
gaseous poisoning explanation for crib death. No valid criticism of this
explanation has ever been provided. This logical finding explains every factor
already known about crib death, and is backed by scientific research (Sprott
1996, 2000) and eight years of practical proof consisting of a crib death
prevention campaign that continues in New Zealand (Sprott 2000).
The fundamental solution
is urgent action to eliminate all sources of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony
from all mattresses. But this is not happening now, and is not likely to happen
anytime soon, so exposure to these gases must be prevented. The intervening
solution is to prevent babies from being exposed to the gases by wrapping
mattresses in a gas-impermeable cover made from high-grade polyethylene and
ensuring that bedding used on top of a wrapped mattress does not contain any
phosphorus, arsenic or antimony. Dr. Sprott specifies a fleecy, pure cotton
(flannelette) underblanket, with only cotton or poly-cotton sheets and woolen or
cotton blankets over the baby. No other bedding should be used in the baby's
crib. In particular, do not use any synthetic sheets or blankets, nor a duvet,
sleeping bag, or sheepskin (Sprott 1996).
A 100% successful crib
death prevention campaign has been going on in New Zealand for the past eight
years.
During this time, there has not been a single SIDS death reported
among the over 100,000 New Zealand babies who have slept on mattresses wrapped
in a specially formulated polyethylene cover. The number of crib deaths in
New Zealand that have occurred since mattress wrapping began in 1994 is about
520. The number of crib deaths that have occurred in New Zealand on a properly
wrapped mattress is zero.
Prior to the commencement
of mattress wrapping, New Zealand had the highest crib death rate in the world
(2.1 deaths per 1000 live births). Following the adoption of mattress wrapping
by many parents in New Zealand, the New Zealand crib death rate has fallen by
48% (NZHIS), and the Pakeha (non-Maori) crib death rate has fallen by an
estimated 70% (King 2001). Pakeha parents have adopted mattress wrapping with
enthusiasm. "These reductions cannot be attributed to orthodox cot death
prevention advice," said Dr Sprott. "There has been no material change in that
advice since 1992. The only significant change in cot death prevention advice,
which has occurred since 1994, is the nationwide dissemination of my
recommendations to wrap babies' mattresses and to stop using sheepskins as baby
bedding."
Midwives and other
healthcare professionals throughout New Zealand have been actively advising
parents to wrap mattresses. The New Zealand Ministry of Health has stated that
there have been no reported crib deaths or any other deaths among those babies
who have slept on correctly wrapped mattresses. Dr. Sprott maintains, "No
suffocation has ever been reported on the type and thickness of polyethylene
which I specify".
Parents Are Denied Findings
So why isn't
this profound and critically important information making the headlines of major
newspapers or all over the evening news? Why aren't crib death researchers and
the government of the United States telling parents to wrap babies' mattresses?
Why are the manufacturers still adding fire retardants and other chemicals to
mattresses?
There are various
reasons, but one possible reason is that mattress manufacturers are required to
use fire retardants through government regulations. Admitting that these
chemicals are causing deaths would mean admitting to major liability.
Furthermore, crib death research has been a significant source of funding for
medical researchers in the U.S. Crib death research funding has nearly stopped
in New Zealand as more people become aware that mattress-wrapping is easy, cheap
and 100% successful in preventing this tragedy. Unfortunately, the ongoing
complex and expensive research that leads to the discovery of "risk factors" for
a so-called "syndrome" has pushed aside the simple and inexpensive solution of
mattress-wrapping; a solution that can do no harm.
The Cot Death Cover-Up?
(Penguin books, NZ, 1996),
by Dr. Jim Sprott, reveals the amazing story of denial on the part of crib death
researchers and the medical community, and the failure of these entities to
accept such a simple explanation. Dr. Sprott first suggested a toxic gas theory
for crib death in 1986, and in 1989 Barry Richardson of Britain, also a
consulting chemist acting independently, publicized outstanding research proving
the finding. In response, the British government set up expert committees to
investigate the findings. One committee published the Turner Report, which
recommended the removal of the chemicals from baby mattresses and for babies to
be tested for antimony. A second committee published the 1998 Limerick Report,
which is frequently cited by SIDS organizations as finding no evidence to
substantiate the claim that toxic gases cause crib death. Contrary to this
publicity, the Limerick Report did not disprove the theory (Fitzpatrick 1998) -
in fact, it provides further confirmation of it (Sprott 2000).
Researchers and
organizations responsible for advising parents have relied on erroneous
information from the Limerick Report, and have vigorously denied the toxic gas
explanation for crib death. In the intervening period, many thousands of babies
have died of crib death. But the New Zealand experience shows that those deaths
were avoidable, easily and cheaply - and that raises another prospect of legal
liability for babies' deaths.
The main orthodox crib
death prevention recommendation is to put babies to sleep on their backs. We
know that babies do still die when sleeping on their backs, although face-up
sleeping does reduce the risk. The gases are denser than air and tend to settle
in a thin layer directly on top of the mattress, so babies sleeping facedown are
more likely to inhale a lethal dose of the gases. The gases are also absorbed
through babies' skin, and this is one of the major reasons why face-up sleeping
provides only partial protection against crib death (Sprott 1996).
However, no babies have
died sleeping on a properly wrapped mattress. This is crucial information for
parents, regardless of whether or not the toxic gas explanation is considered
100% scientifically proven. Eight babies continue to die every night in the
United States from SIDS. Parents should be provided with the information so that
they are able to decide for themselves whether they want to wait for the SIDS
research organizations or the government to endorse mattress-wrapping or to
"play it safe" as many parents have done in New Zealand. As Dr. Sprott points
out and no one has denied, "All New Zealand crib deaths since mattress-wrapping
began in late 1994 have occurred when parents (for whatever reason) have not
wrapped their babies' mattresses. An inexpensive, gas-impermeable, non-toxic
protective cover can surely do no harm."
Factors That May
Increase the Risk of Death From Toxic Gases
A baby's immature organs and other
developing biological systems are particularly vulnerable to toxic contaminants
(Mott 1997). All babies are susceptible to the toxic gases, but whether death,
illness or just irritability occurs to a baby depends on certain other factors.
As mentioned, facedown sleeping increases the risk of crib death. Other factors
include:
Re-Used
Mattresses
The risk of death increases when mattresses are re-used
from one baby to the next. The fungus has already had a chance to establish
itself in the used mattress. When the next baby uses the same mattress, the
fungus is soon active. Toxic gas production begins sooner and is generated in
greater volume. It is known that crib death rates increase markedly from the
first baby in a family to the second, and from the second to the third, and so
on (Mitchell 2001).
High Room Temperature and Overwrapping
Overheating is believed to play a role in
SIDS (Wells 1997). High room temperature and overwrapping of the baby can cause
an increased risk of death, since toxic gas generation is greatly increased when
the temperature of the bedding is raised. A five or six degree Fahrenheit climb
in temperature of the mattress and bedding can make the fungi more active and
thus increase gas generation about 10-20 times (Richardson 1991). High room
temperature, an overload of blankets, or overdressing babies can cause them to
receive higher doses of the gases.
Infections and Decreased Immunity
A baby with a strong immune system will have fewer infections and will be less
likely to have fevers. During fevers, the heat generated by the baby's body
increases the temperature of the bedding, which increases toxic gas generation.
Heat stress (from infections and excessive room heat and insulation) is known to
be a significant risk factor for SIDS (Guntheroth 2001). An infection can also
lower a baby's tolerance to any given concentration of gases. More than 90
percent of SIDS babies have had upper respiratory infections shortly before
death (Smith and Hattersley 2000).
Inadequate Vitamin C
Over 30 years ago, Archie Kalokerinos, M.D., a doctor
practicing in the outback of Australia, was able to eliminate the unusually high
incidence of SIDS by giving babies injections of ascorbate (vitamin C). Dr.
Kalokerinos found that vitamin C deficiency was an important factor in the many
diseases of the infants, especially sudden infant death. His work was
independently duplicated in the U.S. by Fred Klenner, M.D. in Reidsville, North
Carolina (Kalokerinos 1981).
Submissions of this
evidence and documented case studies were made to the medical authorities and
SIDS experts, both in Australia and the U.S. This evidence was completely
ignored and no clinical trials were recommended. Dr. Kalokerinos tells his story
in Every Second Child, a book that demonstrates the reluctance of many doctors
to accept new ideas (Kalokerinos 1981).
The systems of the body
cannot function without adequate vitamin C. It's been shown that many infants
have marginal amounts in their bodies (Kalokerinos 1981). Any stress, including
injury or illness, can increase the body's need for vitamin C (Cathcart 1981).
Under conditions such as vaccinations (Kalokerinos 1981, Pauling 1981), upper
respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, malnutrition, and other viral and
bacterial infections, the existing vitamin C can be completely used up, leaving
the immune system unable to cope with any toxic threat to the body. This can
leave a baby more vulnerable to the toxic gases in mattresses (Smith and
Hattersley 2000).
Dr. Sprott explains
another reason why administering vitamin C to a baby can prevent death. "The
high alkaline pH of babies' urine, dribble, perspiration, and vomit enables the
fungus to grow and to generate the toxic gases rapidly. But consumption of
vitamin C makes these bodily fluids acidic, reversing the alkalinity in the
baby's crib environment and preventing gas generation." (Sprott 1996)
Vaccinations
Vaccines are known to cause fevers in babies (CDC 2001). These fevers can
increase generation of the gases, exposing babies to higher concentrations. In
addition, vaccines can lead to the depletion of vitamin C in a baby's body
(Hattersley 1993 and Pauling 1981), damaging the tiny body's developing nervous
and immune systems. Vaccines have also been shown to cause stressed breathing
(Scheibner 1993), weakened immunity, and neurological damage (Neustaedter 1996),
which can lower the baby's ability to tolerate a given concentration of toxic
gases.
Vaccines Alone Can
Cause Death
Many researchers, doctors,
scientists, and parents believe that vaccines alone can cause SIDS. Indeed,
vaccines do cause death, and vaccine deaths are often labeled as SIDS cases. As
Dawn Winkler, former Vice President of Concerned Parents for Vaccine Safety,
points out, "The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has even
compensated 93 families whose infants' deaths were labeled SIDS because the
parent had the evidence in the autopsy to prove the vaccine caused it. Yet, the
cause of death listing as "SIDS" was never changed on the death certificates of
these 93 babies." (Winkler 2000)
Many SIDS parents have
told the same story. Their previously healthy babies were not the same from the
time they were vaccinated until they died. A high-pitched scream, excessive
sleeping, poor appetite, and troubled breathing were common. At the time of
death, no one investigates whether these babies could have died directly from
the vaccines alone or if vaccine damage may have lowered the babies' capacity to
withstand the toxic gases in their mattresses. No one investigates this because
our government and the medical community deny that vaccines or toxic gases could
be causes of death. Instead they label these deaths as SIDS and maintain that
they do not know the cause. They refuse to accept the research that has already
been done in both of these areas and remain steadfast in their commitment to
deny any further research. Health officials continually refer to vaccine
manufacturer-sponsored studies reporting no relationship between vaccines and
SIDS. Some of these studies have been strongly criticized (Coulter 1996) and
called into question because of potential biases that underestimate the risk of
SIDS from vaccines (Fine 1992).
The assumption that SIDS
is vaccine-related could very well be accurate. It seems likely that vaccines
could be an indirect factor in SIDS cases, and may be the deciding factor that
could cause a baby to succumb to the toxic gases. Perhaps some or even many SIDS
babies may have survived the toxic insult of the gases were it not for
vaccinations. We do not know this for sure. But we do know that not one baby has
died sleeping on a properly wrapped mattress. Many of the babies sleeping on
wrapped mattresses were vaccinated, but none of them were exposed to the gases.
Vaccination rates among the Pakeha (non-Maori) people in New Zealand, who have
enthusiastically adopted mattress wrapping, are very high. These people now have
the lowest crib death rate in the world. The crib death rate is about seven
times higher among Maori babies in New Zealand, who are vaccinated far less than
the Pakeha. In Victory Over Crib Death, Lendon H. Smith, MD and Joseph G.
Hattersley, MA astutely point out, "If vaccinations directly caused crib death,
the proportions would be reversed." The article Victory Over Crib Death is a
summary of Smith's and Hattersley's book, The Infant Survival Guide: Protecting
Your Baby From the Dangers of Crib Death, Vaccines and Other Environmental
Hazards. This book is considered by some to be a definitive guide to ending the
terrible tragedy of crib death and proposes a new paradigm; that toxic gases are
the single cause of nearly all crib deaths. In addition to advocating mattress
wrapping, the authors strongly recommend against vaccinations.
The assumption that our
government agencies do everything they can to protect our children is naive. The
U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission has stated that
BabeSafe mattress covers do not constitute any safety risk to babies. These covers (manufactured
in New Zealand) are the only mattress covers designed to protect babies from
toxic gases generated in mattresses. Yet even though the products are simple and
inexpensive plastic mattress covers, the FDA requires the manufacturer to go
through the expensive, complex, time-consuming procedure of obtaining pre-market
approval in order for BabeSafe covers to be bulk imported into the U.S.
Instead of putting
unnecessary hurdles in the way of a harmless and potentially life-saving
product, why don't the authorities endorse mattress wrapping in the U.S. to see
if the results achieved in New Zealand could be duplicated here? The score in
New Zealand is now 520 deaths (orthodox crib death prevention advice) to none
(mattress-wrapping). With so many more babies born in the U.S. than in New
Zealand, the potential to save lives is dramatically greater - thousands every
year. Why should even one baby be denied something that could potentially save
his or her life? Fortunately, parents can still order the mattress covers to
have them sent directly from New Zealand to their home. Alternatively, parents
can wrap their babies' mattresses themselves, but use of the correct grade of
polyethylene and adherence to explicit instructions are vital.
The FDA defines SIDS as a
"disease" without providing any explanation of the alleged disease. However, as
Dr. Sprott laments, "Crib death is not a disease, and until the FDA, the
orthodox SIDS organizations, and the leading U.S. pediatricians admit the truth
of these findings and the accuracy of our science, the U.S. crib death rate will
continue as it is now; about eight dead babies every night. By contrast, New
Zealand now leads the world in crib death prevention, and will be the first
country in the world to eradicate SIDS."
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Empirical Medicine.
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to Vaccines. American Journal of Epidemiology, July 15, 1992;
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SIDS - Do Vaccines Play a Role?
eHealthy News You Can Use
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