Sealed mattresses may prevent Sudden Cot Deaths

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

Recent research in NZ has shown that properly sealed mattresses may

reduce SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome; cot deaths) to near zero!

 

The NZ data add support to BA Richardson's hypothesis that toxic

gases emitted from unsealed mattresses are primary causes of SIDS.

 

Infants sleeping face-down on unsealed mattresses have the maximum

possibility to inhale such toxic gases.

 

Consider passing these to friends with babies or young children.

 

Love to you all,

And may God and Mary protect our children,

Phil

 

Sprott TJ (2004) Cot Death--Cause and Prevention. Journal of

Nutritional & Environmental Medicine, 14 (3), 221-232. DOI:

10.1080/13590840400016836 Taylor & Francis Health Sciences.

Abstract: There is a general perception that the cause of cot death

remains unknown. This is not so. The cause of cot death (often

erroneously termed Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS) has been

elucidated as being due to extremely toxic 'nerve' gases generated by

fungal activity on chemicals frequently present in cot mattresses and in

certain other bedding commonly used in baby bedding. However, this

explanation, often referred to in Britain as 'the Richardson Hypothesis',

has aroused considerable controversy, especially among individuals and

organizations closely associated with cot death. Interventions based on

this explanation have been widely advocated in two countries: first in

Britain (1989 and 1994) and far more intensively in New Zealand

through a nationwide public information programme from late 1994

continouously to the present. Both interventions were followed by

significant reductions in cot death, especially the 10-year 'mattress-

wrapping' programme in New Zealand. Mattress-wrapping (a logical

intervention based on the toxic gas explanation) is an obvious corollary

to that explanation. If this intervention method is successful in

preventing cot death, that outcome provides very strong proof of the

validity of the explanation. And this has been the outcome--during the

10-year intervention period in NZ there has never been a report of a cot

death when the baby has been sleeping on a mattress wrapped in

accordance with the simple protocol based on the explanation, and the

NZ cot death rate has fallen markedly. Given the close examination of

all cot deaths in New Zealand (about 650 from 1995 to the present)

ZERO reported deaths on wrapped mattresses effectively means that

there have been no such deaths. The apparently total success of the

intervention, and the reduction in cot deaths, provide a standard of proof

of the toxic gas explanation which nullifies the opposition of those who

would deny it. The success of mattress-wrapping for the prevention of

cot death is such that it behoves all people and organizations who

provide advice to parents about cot death prevention to inform parents

of the NZ experience using this technique. © Taylor & Francis Ltd

 

Kapuste H (2004) Learning to Communicate with a SIDS Establishment

that Denies the Cause of Sudden Infant Deaths. Journal of Nutritional &

Environmental Medicine 14(3), 233-245. DOI:

10.1080/13590840400017875 Taylor & Francis Health Sciences.

Abstract: A high incidence, and most of the features, of 'cot deaths'

were described 50 years ago. While avoidance of prone sleeping led to

a significant reduction of SIDS incidence it remained the most frequent

post-perinatal death. The consensus of the establishment is that the

cause(s) is/are not understood. The toxic gas theory by Richardson,

however, renders this consensus incorrect. While it (1) was based on

definite experimental evidence, (2) could explain practically all of the

features associated with SIDS, and (3) was the basis for the first

significant decline of SIDS incidence in England and Wales, the

establishment did not accept the evidence, in particular after two Expert

Groups established by the British Department of Health concluded in

their Final Report of May 1998, that the toxic gas theory was

unsubstantiated. Richardson's Comments, however, submitted in June

1998 which refuted these conclusions have been suppressed. The

impact of this neglect has been tremendous. T. J. Sprott in New

Zealand meanwhile has provided conclusive evidence that children

protected by polythene covers of their mattresses will not die from SIDS.

At present the SIDS establishment are launching an improved definition

and diagnosis of SIDS to provide a better framework for investigations

and put an end to " the literature that is beset by contradictions and

unsubstantiated conclusions " . Looking forward now to how long it may

take until an effective means of SIDS prevention will be accepted, a look

into Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions may help to begin

effective professional communication that can bring about the

necessary change to save babies' lives. To improve the tedious expert-

expert interaction in professional journals one may use the modern

means of communication, coordinate reader-reader and reader-author

interaction by email to gain control of the biased establishment.

Experience shows that individual efforts cannot overcome their powerful

defence. In conclusion, it will take a coordinated activity of motivated

readers who are well established in their local communities using the

means of modern communication to promote effective national and

international SIDS prevention. © Taylor & Francis Ltd

 

Richardson BA (1994) Sudden infant death syndrome: a possible

primary cause. J Forensic Sci Soc. 1994 Jul-Sep;34(3):199-204.Erratum

in: J Forensic Sci Soc 1994 Oct-Dec;34(4):284. Penarth Research

International Limited, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands. The

hypothesis that poisoning by phosphines, arsines and stibines might be

the primary cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) was

investigated. Most mattress materials contain phosphorus or antimony

compounds as fire retardant additives. Mattress materials in areas

affected by the warmth and perspiration of the sleeping infant were

found to be naturally infected by the fungus Scopulariopsis brevicaulis

which is thought to be capable of generating phosphines, arsines and

stibines from materials containing phosphorus, arsenic or antimony

compounds. These gases may cause anticholinesterase poisoning and

cardiac failure in infants, but contributory factors include the prone

sleeping position and overwrapping. In England and Wales, the

progressive increase in SIDS between 1951 and 1988 seems to be

related to increasing use of phosphorus and antimony compounds as

fire retardents in cot mattresses. PMID: 7523575 [PubMed - indexed for

MEDLINE]