Question
A few months-old baby sleeps in the same bed with its mother. News reports indicate that infants may accidentally suffocate during sleep. Is this statement true? Can suffocation be life-threatening to infants?
Answer
Dear friend, suffocation is indeed a highly dangerous situation that can easily lead to death if not treated promptly. Generally, suffocation can be fatal within just five minutes and may cause irreversible damage to brain cells. Even if successfully treated, it could result in a vegetative state. Therefore, the golden time for brain rescue usually does not exceed four minutes. Hence, it is particularly important to ensure that the baby sleeps in a side-lying position to reduce the risk of suffocation.