Pacifiers and SIDS

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070312152207.htm

This was something interesting that I had heard one of the nurses mention when my son was born.

There seems to be a correlation between the use of a pacifier and a reduction in the occurance of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). This attributes SIDS as the third leading cause of infant death. No one really knows why pacifier use appears to have an effect on SIDS. The general train of thought is that parents should give their children pacifiers, if it helps prevent SIDS, that is good. However, if it doesn't help and the correlation is simply a coincidence, there's no problem in that because pacifier use is a very low-risk activity. Also, the article describes that parents should be counceled on how to use a pacifier safely. I guess it seems a little silly, but some people need to be told.