Q&A: How long do I have to worry about apnea and SIDS risk?

Let me start by telling you that your fears are very understandable. It is quite common for parents who've been through the experience of having a premature baby with a past history of stopping breathing to worry that these spells—typically referred to as "apneic" episodes—will re-occur. Your description of your son's progress and how he hasn't had any spells in recent months, along with the fact that premature infants often outgrow these apneic episodes (rather than having them randomly show up as they get older) may well explain why your son's doctor was comfortable taking him off the monitor. Of course, you should definitely not hesitate to discuss any and all concerns you have with your doctor—whether it's just a lingering fear based on your past experiences or one that's based on something you've noticed about your son's current behavior or breathing that is causing you to worry.

In the meantime, let me also assure you that parents of premature infants are not the only ones who worry about Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). I think a certain degree of worry is natural and even healthy for all parents, especially if it leads them to take several simple but important measures to prevent SIDS. While we still don't know exactly what causes it, there are fortunately many things you can do to significantly reduce the risk of SIDS. Recommendations for creating a safe sleep environment typically include:

• Putting babies to sleep on their backs
• Using a firm, tight-fitting mattress with a snug-fitting crib sheet in a crib that is properly assembled, has no sharp edges or pieces, and meets all current safety standards
• Keeping any and all soft, fluffy items, including blankets, bumpers, pillows, toys, and stuffed animals, out of the crib
• Avoiding the use of positioning devices such as side sleepers. They are not only unnecessary, but potentially dangerous
• Keeping cribs (and playpens) away from windows, cords, monitors, and any other potential fall or strangulation hazards
• Making sure the air babies breathe—both at night and during the day—is always smoke-free. Secondhand smoke exposure has been shown to increase the risk of SIDS (not to mention have all sorts of negative effects on babies' health)
• Offering a pacifier as babies are falling asleep, as this too is thought to potentially reduce the risk of SIDS during the first year