Screening for cot death hope after discovery

♦ Babies could soon be screened to find out if they are at risk of cot death, after scientists found a brain protein which prevents the fatal condition.

The chemical, known as Substance P, is lacking in babies who die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and could explain the danger of sleeping face down, according to new research. Substance P helps control head and neck movement and plays a key role in the brain’s control of breathing, heart function and the response to oxygen deprivation.

The latest findings, published in PLOS ONE and based on 55 SIDS cases in the US, shed fresh light on the possible cause, and could unlock the key to preventing it. Experts are hopeful that it will be possible to test babies to check they have the protective protein, so that parents could take extra care if it was missing.