Final answer:
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) usually happens at night and is linked to several risk factors including premature birth and secondhand smoke exposure. Preventative measures include safe sleeping practices and using monitoring devices to detect sleep apnea in infants.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) most commonly occurs at night when the infant is asleep. It is a tragic incident where an otherwise healthy infant inexplicably stops breathing and passes away. SIDS often affects infants younger than 12 months, with a higher incidence in boys compared to girls. Risk factors for SIDS include premature birth, exposure to secondhand smoke, and hyperthermia. There are also suggestions of underlying differences in brain structure and function in infants who succumb to SIDS. To lower the risk of SIDS, it is recommended that infants be placed on their backs to sleep, without the use of pillows, blankets, or padded crib bumpers that could pose suffocation hazards.
Additionally, avoiding caps that could lead to overheating and ensuring a smoke-free environment are critical steps. Monitoring technology that employs electromagnetic induction can alert parents to episodes of sleep apnea, a condition linked to SIDS, potentially providing an additional layer of safety for at-risk infants.