Hansard

I congratulate Gil Paterson on securing today’s debate and I pay tribute to his consistent work in the Parliament to support the Scottish Cot Death Trust. I am pleased to join other members in commending the excellent efforts of the Scottish Cot Death Trust—the only cot death charity in Scotland—and all those who work, volunteer or fundraise for it.

Despite being extremely rare, cot death—or sudden infant death syndrome—is still the most common cause of death for infants between one month and 12 months old in Scotland. A child dies from cot death every nine days.

As the father of six children, four of whom are still at school, I find it difficult to imagine the extent of the pain and darkness of losing a child. No parent should experience that, but the loss of a healthy infant suddenly and without explanation must be absolutely devastating and beyond heartbreaking. That is why all MSPs should be grateful that the Scottish Cot Death Trust is there to support bereaved parent constituents in such circumstances.

The trust’s website is a fantastic resource for parents and their families. I know several mothers and fathers who have suffered the awful trauma of a cot death, and the grief of parents over the loss of a baby or toddler is so intense that it is terribly difficult for relatives and friends to begin to know what they can say or do to alleviate that grief. Margaret McCulloch and other members have rightly highlighted that aspect.

Although it seems unlikely that all cot deaths can be prevented, the risk factors that are associated with cot death can be reduced. Like other members, I urge prospective parents to look at the “Reduce the risk of cot death” leaflet, which is clear and helpful and offers parents-to-be straightforward advice on such things as placing babies on their backs to sleep, breastfeeding, dummy use and keeping babies away from smoke.

Reducing risk factors, primarily by encouraging parents to place babies on their backs to sleep, has in the decades since the 1991 back to sleep campaign helped to gradually but notably decrease the incidence of cot death. However, we must continue to make progress in that direction.

As Gil Paterson’s motion makes clear, the Scottish Cot Death Trust not only supports bereaved parents and educates the public and healthcare professionals about cot death and ways of reducing the risks but is committed to funding medical research into cot death. That is very much to be welcomed. Since the trust was established in 1985, it has invested more than £3 million in research projects locally, nationally and internationally. We still know relatively little about the causes of cot death, and that is what we have to find out. Why, for example, are premature babies more affected, and why are second-born and later-born infants at greater risk than first-born infants?

I again warmly welcome today’s debate. On behalf of my party, I congratulate the Scottish Cot Death Trust on its 30th anniversary and thank all those who are involved in the trust for the work that they do on behalf of all our constituents. I wish them every success as they continue their critical and valuable work in the years ahead.