Breakthrough on SIDS

A SIGNIFICANT and potentially lifesaving step forward in SIDS research has been made by scientists in the United States.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found one-third of SIDS deaths appear to be linked to elevated levels of serotonin, a chemical that helps regulate breathing, heart rate and the ability to wake up.

The finding points to the possibility of a preventive blood test being developed to screen babies for SIDS, Australian child sleep expert Karen Waters says.