Cot deaths reduction slows

The dramatic drop in cot deaths has halted for the first time in five years, figures published yesterday by the Department of Health show.

Between 1988 and 1993 the sudden infant death rate (for those under 12 months) fell by 70 per cent from 2.3 per 1,000 live births following the success of the "Back to sleep" campaign which advised parents not to put babies to sleep on their fronts. But in 1993-94 it was 0.7 per 1,000 - unchanged from the previous 12 months.