Colin Baker, chairman of the infant death foundation, who lost his son Jack to cot death, said nobody asked the mother or father anything Each death should be investigated and reviewed properly.. Health Secretary Alan Milburn has unveiled plans to create a new class of aftercare wards for elderly patients in an effort to free badly needed acute care beds. Only immunised babies had a significantly lower risk of dying suddenly without explanation.The report says procedures for investigating cot death were "inadequate and in need of revision". "For every hour of the day a baby spends in an atmosphere where smoking is allowed that risk of cot death increases by 100 per cent."Although many parents buy breathing monitors, the research showed these had no impact on reducing cot death. The findings showed if babies were put on their side that doubles the risk of cot death. The risk increases to 10 times if they were laid on their front, compared with a babies who were put to sleep on their back.

Babies who slept in the same room as their parents for the first six months of their life had a significantly reduced risk."From observations of mothers and babies asleep, we believe this could be to do with complex interactions between them when they are asleep which protects the child," says Peter Fleming, a consultant paediatrician and professor of infant health and developmental physiology at the University of Bristol.He also said the evidence for smoking near a child was unequivocal. A total of 325 babies were deemed to be cot death victims and 1,300 babies with similar socio-economic backgrounds were used as comparisons.Health professionals interviewed families who had lost a child as well as families in similar circumstances whose child had not died, using a survey with 600 questions. But it is still the main cause of death for babies more than a month old, killing almost one a day.The research, published yesterday, is based on 450 babies who died between the age of one week and one year in five regions. Newborn babies should sleep in their parents' bedroom for their first six months to reduce the risk of cot death, the Department of Health said yesterday.

Newborn babies should sleep in their parents' bedroom for their first six months to reduce the risk of cot death, the Department of Health said yesterday. Nearly two-thirds of cot deaths are caused by parents ignoring advice about putting their baby to sleep on their backs or not smoking near their child, a study has shown.The research, conducted by Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy, the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, and the Department of Health, was the biggest study in Britain of babies who die suddenly and unexpectedly in their first year.Sixty per cent of the deaths could have been avoided, say the researchers, and they dismissed previous theories that the type of mattress a baby sleeps on, or airline flights,increased the risk of cot death.Every new parent will receive the new guidelines in leaflet called Reduce the Risk of Cot Death which also recommends for the first time that babies are laid only on their backs to sleep not on their side or front, and that parents do not fall asleep on the sofa with their offspring.The study also debunks the myth that sleeping in the same bed as babies is harmful, but warns parents they should not sleep with their baby if they smoke, have recently drunk alcohol or are excessively tired because those factors do increase the likelihood of cot death.In the past decade the number of cot deaths in Britain has fallen by 70 per cent, from 1,008 to 284 per year. "I think David [Lloyd] will pick Jamie Delgado, and I think there will be a bit less pressure on Jamie playing away than if we had been playing at home, with all the expectation."The doubles could be the turning point. Neil's played a lot of big matches in doubles, and if he and Tim play as well as they did at the Olympics [when they won a silver medal inAtlanta] the team will have a good chance.". Last year, Henman and Rusedski kept Britain in the premier division by defeating South Africa at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena, having lost to the United States in the same stadium."The match in Ostrava was going to be close whoever played for Britain," Rusedski said. Should Britain lose, they will go into a draw for a play-off with their place in the World Group at stake. In the rolling 52-week calculations made for entry and seeding for tournaments, however, Rusedski stands at No 13 (Henman is No 10)."I'm disappointed to have missed the Australian Open and not to be fit for the Davis Cup," he said, "but I'm really happy with the way things are going after the surgery."Victory in Ostrava would bring Britain a second-round match away to the United States or Zimbabwe, who meet in Harare at the weekend in a tie which marks John McEnroe's debut as the American captain. Surgery has corrected that."Rusedski's absence means that his name is not listed in the ATP Champions Race 2000, the new calendar-year points system (Henman is in 14th place after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open).

"An MRI scan showed there were bone spurs in my foot, and these had been the cause of a lot of my problems, whether in my back or in my hamstring. "I had six months on pain-killers and anti-inflammatory tablets," he said. "I saw my doctor when I stopped playing in November."Ironically, Rusedski's right foot began to hurt after his honeymoon (he married Lucy Connor on 4 December). The Axa Cup has replaced the Guardian Direct Cup in Battersea Park, where Rusedski lost last year's final to Richard Krajicek, the Dutch former Wimbledon champion.Rusedski won a career-high $2.12m (£1.3m) last year in spite of a series of injuries. "We set a six-week plan for recovery, and in another two weeks I'll be ready to start up in Rotterdam."That is encouraging news for the organisers of the Axa Cup at London Arena from 21 to 27 February, the week after the Rotterdam tournament. The most he can offer is good wishes. While Tim Henman prepares to play singles and doubles (with Neil Broad) against the Czechs on a slow indoor clay court in Ostrava at the weekend and David Lloyd, Britain's captain, debates whether to select Jamie Delgado or Arvind Parmar to contest the two other singles matches in the World Group tie, Rusedski is taking confident steps towards returning to the ATP Tour."I'm hitting tennis balls and listening to my doctor's advice," Rusedski said from a clinic near Munich. Greg Rusedski will link up with Britain's Davis Cup squad in the Czech Republic this week, but only via television.

The British No 2 is in Germany, rehabilitating after surgery to his right foot. The British No 2 is in Germany, rehabilitating after surgery to his right foot The most he can offer is good wishes. Others admitted they had never heard of the Davis Cup."If you like tennis, if you are serious about it, you've got to start young," McEnroe told the youngsters.. Greg Rusedski will link up with Britain's Davis Cup squad in the Czech Republic this week, but only via television. While it's tougher to run around, the ball moves so much quicker.