Baby pacifiers can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of death in babies under a year old, according to new research published on Friday.Scientists in the United States found babies who used a pacifier, also known as a “dummy”, while they slept had a 90 percent reduced risk of cot death compared to other babies."Use of a dummy during sleep was associated with a reduced risk of SIDS,” Dr De-Kun Li, of the Health Management Organization (HMO) group Kaiser Permanente Northern California, said in a report published online by the British Medical Journal."Our results also provide some evidence that use of a dummy may reduce the impact of other risk factors for SIDS, especially those related to adverse sleep conditions.
