FED: Babies of smoking mums find it harder to wake up: Study

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2009
FED: Babies of smoking mums find it harder to wake up: Study

A Melbourne study's found babies born to smoking mums find it harder to wake up.

The Australian researchers are investigating the link between cigarettes and Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome.

The study's found babies in homes where the mother smoked up to 20 cigarettes daily
.. during and after the pregancy .. perform poorer on arousal tests.

Associate Professor ROSEMARY HORNE says the research sheds new light on why smoking
is emerging as a leading cause of SIDS .. after most mums have responded to the message
to not put their baby to sleep stomach down.

Professor HORNE says even though the babies of mums who smoke appear perfectly well
.. healthy and normal .. they don't wake up as well.

She says studies have shown up to 70 per cent of children who die from SIDS have exposure
to maternal smoking.

The study's been published in the journal SLEEP.

AAP RTV dr/crh/tm

KEYWORD: SMOKE (SYDNEY)

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