OUR heart goes out to Anthony Olbinson and Eileen Leech, whose baby's tragic death -- so suddenly and unexpectedly -- you reported on April 7.

This is a terrible reminder that the cot death problem is still far from being solved. With eight babies dying each week, it remains the leading kind of death for babies over one month old and there is a desperate need to provide support for families when tragedy strikes.

The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) would like to stress that, although there is no known cause of cot death, there are several ways parents can help reduce the risk of it occurring. These include:

Placing your baby on their back to sleep

Cut smoking in pregnancy -- fathers too

Do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby

Do not let your baby get too hot

Keep baby's head uncovered -- place your baby with the feet to the foot of the cot to prevent baby from wriggling down under the covers

If your baby is unwell, seek medical advice promptly

Parents shouldn't share a bed with their baby if they are smokers, have been drinking alcohol, taking drugs or medication that makes them drowsy, or if they are excessively tired.

Keep the cot in the parental bedroom for the first six months.

Avoid falling asleep on the sofa with your baby.

If any of your readers would like information about cot death, or would like to know how to help, please send an SAE for free leaflets to: FSID, Artillery House, 11-19 Artillery Row, London SW1P 1RT, or call the 24-hour helpline on 020 7233 2090.

Sally McKay

Communications Manager