Child Development and Public Health: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

I chose to write about this topic because it is relative to my work with infants. I have never experienced SIDS but it was my worst fear when my own children were babies, my worst fear related to my grandchildren, and my worst fear in my work.

The Safe to Sleep^® campaign, formerly known as the Back to Sleep campaign, has helped educate millions of caregivers—parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, child care providers, health care providers, and others—about ways to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death (NICHD, 2015). The Mayo Clinic (2015) defines sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as “the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old” (para. 1).  Since infants often die in their cribs, SIDS is often referred to as crib death.  While the exact cause is unknown, research finds a link to the section of an infant's brain that governs breathing and arousal from sleep. Research finds that the most important thing parents, caregivers, and anyone who cares for infants can do to reduce the risk of SIDS or help to prevent it is to always place the baby on its back to sleep. (Mayo Clinic, 2015). Public health used the research and initiated a Back to Sleep campaign. After the launch of the Back-to-Sleep campaign in 1994, the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome declined by more than 50 percent, and then plateaued.  In an another study "Risk Factor Changes for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome After Initiation of Back-to-Sleep Campaign​," in April 2012, pediatric researchers examine whether the predominant risk factors involved in SIDS deaths have changed in the Back-to-Sleep era (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012).  Other factors were discovered that put a baby at risk, which include low birthweight, repertory infection, sleeping on the stomach or side, sleeping on a soft surface, and sleeping with parents.  Additional risks include sex, age, race, secondhand smoke, family history, and pre-term birth.  Research still finds that the most important thing parents, caregivers, and anyone who cares for infants can do to reduce the risk of SIDS or help to prevent it is to always place the baby on its back to sleep.  Additionally, parents and all caregivers can keep the crib as bare as possible, avoid overheating the baby, allow the baby to sleep alone in his or her crib, breast-feed the baby, and offer a pacifier (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012; Mayo Clinic, 2015).

In Australia, there were about 550 infant deaths per year from SIDS. Following the initiation of their safe sleep campaign in 1988, the instances of SIDS have reduced to less than 100.  The recommendations for safe sleep is to place baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side for sleep and to sleep baby with head and face uncovered. It also recommends keeping baby smoke free before birth and after, providing a safe sleeping environment night and day, sleeping baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult caregiver for the first six to twelve months, and breastfeeding baby (Sids and Kids, 2015).

It appears that both countries recommend sleeping the baby on their back, avoiding tobacco, and a safe sleep environment. Any differences are a matter of culture. The information I have found I already use in my classroom but I have decided to share it with my parents to encourage their practice of safe sleep.

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2012). "Risk Factor Changes for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome After Initiation of Back-to-Sleep Campaign.” Retrieved from​http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/129/4/630

Mayo Clinic.  (2015). Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20020269

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD]. (2015). Explore the Campaign. Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign. Retrieved from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sts/campaign/Pages/default.aspx

Sids and Kids. (2015). Safe Sleeping. Retrieved from http://www.sidsandkids.org/safe-slee