SIDS

I chose to explore the topic Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This topic is meaningful to me because when I was working at an Early Head Start Program, I had to advocate for safe sleep practices because the teachers in the infant room were placing very young children on their bellies to sleep before they were able to roll over. The recommendations for safe sleep are still reaching caregivers and parents- we need to advocate for education on this topic. I know a mother who lost her son 20 years ago to SIDS and it’s obvious the level of devastation this can bring to a family- Fraser, Sidebotham, Frederick, Covington, and Mitchell (2014) suggest that each and every SIDS death is a tragedy for the family, the professionals caring for the child, and for the community as a whole. I think there can be more public health policies that will continue to lessen the impact of SIDS on our society. I explore the phenomenon of SIDS in New Zealand, which has been reduced by a variety of preventative strategies.

According to Moon, Horne, & Hauck (YEAR), SIDS is the leading cause of death of infants (1 month to 1 year) in developed countries. The cause of SIDS is unknown, but is thought to be a combination of risk factors rather than one single cause. Moon, Horne, & Hauck (2007) point to recent studies that suggest babies are at risk for SIDS if they sleep on their bellies or on their sides, are exposed to smoke, and sleep with soft bedding or on soft surfaces. This research has led pediatricians to recommend safe sleep practices, like placing babies on their backs to sleep and removing soft materials, which have reduced SIDS deaths by 50-90% (Moon, Horne, & Hauck, 2007).

In 1991, a national cot death prevention program was established in New Zealand that put forth recommendations that infants should sleep on their side or their back, that women should breastfeed if possible, and that babies (prenatally and within the first year of life) should not be exposed to cigarette smoke (Mitchell, Brunt, & Everard, 1994). It also suggested that sleeping in the same bed as parents may, too, be harmful. According to Mitchell, et. al (1997), the program quickly found success- the number of infants sleeping on their bellies was reduced from 43% to less than 5%. This decrease is linked with a decrease in the number of SIDS deaths in New Zealand after the inception of the prevention program (Mitchell, et. al, 1997).

Fraser, Sidebotham, Frederick, Covington, and Mitchell (2014) identify mandatory child death review as a means for significantly reducing SIDS. By investigating every infant death, more data is collected to influence research for SIDS prevention. In New Zealand, child death reviews are mandatory and receive funding from the government- specific agencies handle the investigations, which are thorough (Fraser, Sidebotham, Frederick, Covington, & Mitchell, 2014). In contrast, the United States investigates only some child deaths because the Federal Law only encourages investigations where child abuse is suspected; though some US states have laws and funding that support child death review, it is not a requirement (Fraser, Sidebotham, Frederick, Covington, & Mitchell, 2014).

This information will impact my future practice because I appreciate the need for advocacy on this topic. If the US adopted federal regulations that mandate and fund child death investigations, or if we had better programs to educate parents and caregivers about SIDS and safe sleep, we might reduce infant deaths even more. I notice posters and brochures at various health organizations around my community and I think my community could benefit from having more of these in a variety of locations. I will also make sure to help parents understand safe sleep practices if it ever comes up in my work.

References

Fraser, J., Sidebotham, P., Frederick, J., Covington, T., & Mitchell, E. A. (2014). Learning from child death review in the USA, England, Australia, and New Zealand. The Lancet, 384(9946), 894-903.

Mitchell, E. A., Brunt, J. M., & Everard, C. (1994). Reduction in mortality from sudden infant death syndrome in New Zealand: 1986-92. Archives of disease in childhood, 70(4), 291-294.

Mitchell, E. A., Tuohy, P. G., Brunt, J. M., Thompson, J. M., Clements, M. S., Stewart, A. W., ... & Taylor, B. J. (1997). Risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome following the prevention campaign in New Zealand: a prospective study. Pediatrics, 100(5), 835-840.

Moon, R. Y., Horne, R. S., & Hauck, F. R. (2007). Sudden infant death syndrome. The Lancet, 370(9598), 1578-1587.