Guidelines aimed at reducing the number of babies dying from cot death have been issued by the Department of Health.

The new guidance builds on existing advice to parents and follows publication of a major study into cot death.

Though death rates have fallen over the past 10 years, there were 284 cot deaths in England and Wales in 1998 - down from 1,504 in 1986.

Ministers said the new guidance, drawn up with the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSIDs), would help reduce the rate even further.

Parents are advised to avoid falling asleep on sofas with their babies as there is a risk of rolling onto the child and they should not share a bed with infants if they have been smoking, drinking or taking drugs or medication which would make them sleepy.

Babies' cots should be kept in parents' bedrooms for the first six months and duvets are never safe for young children, it adds.

This builds on existing advice such as not allowing babies to become too hot and ensuring they sleep at the foot of their cot to prevent wriggling under covers.

Major report

The advice, published in a leaflet by the Department of Health, follows a major report into cot death published earlier this month which claimed six out of ten cot deaths could be partly caused by sub-standard care, deprived living conditions or abuse.

The vast majority of these cases were down to parents not following guidance on how to minimise risk, the report said.

Dr Pat Troop, deputy chief medical officer, said: "Evidence shows that by taking simple steps when looking after your baby the risk of cot death can be reduced.

"The rates of cot deaths have fallen significantly over the last ten years and we want to see this positive trend continue. However, there were 284 cot deaths in 1998 which is still too many."

A spokeswoman for FSIDs said: "It is vitally important that advice gets to parents. We encourage all health professionals to make sure that parents get a copy of the leaflet."