Child Development and Public Health--Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Meet Sam...

Sam was born May 16, 2005; the second child of my neighbor.  In his short 5 months and 24 days on earth, he touched many lives. While I can’t imagine the pain his parents felt; as a friend of the family I can tell you it was devastating for me.  I remember when I got the call; I felt like someone punched me in the stomach, I couldn’t catch my breath.  I have never felt so helpless in my life; I didn’t know what to do or say, all I could do was sit on their couch silently; uselessly.

Sam passed away during his afternoon nap November 9, 2005 while at his childcare.  Today just happens to be November 9, 2013.  He would be almost 8 and a half years old. I still think of Sam often, wondering what he would look like; if he would have grown as tall as his dad, been feisty like his big sister used to be, or bashful like his little brother.

This blog entry is dedicated to our baby angel, his parents, siblings and everyone who loved him!

 
Here is what the research tells us about SIDs (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)



Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation is conducted, including a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history.
SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants aged 1–12 months, and is the third leading cause overall of infant mortality in the United States. Although the overall rate of SIDS in the United States has declined by more than 50% since 1990, rates for non-Hispanic black and American Indian/Alaska Native infants remain disproportionately higher than the rest of the population. Reducing the risk of SIDS remains an important public health priority.

                                 Source: www.cdc.gov/sids

In a typical situation parents check on their supposedly sleeping infant to find him or her dead. This is the worst tragedy parents can face, a tragedy which leaves them with sadness and a feeling of vulnerability that lasts throughout their lives. Since medicine cannot tell them why their baby died, they blame themselves and often other innocent people. Their lives and those around them are changed forever.
The U.S. national campaign to reduce the risk of SIDS has entered a new phase and will now include all sleep-related SUIDs (sudden unexplained infant death). The campaign, which has been known as the Back to Sleep Campaign, has been renamed the Safe to Sleep Campaign.
For a medical examiner or coroner to determine the cause of the death, a thorough case investigation including examination of the death scene and a review of the infant’s clinical history must be conducted. A complete autopsy needs to be performed, ideally using information gathered from the scene investigation. Even when a thorough investigation is conducted, it may be difficult to separate SIDS from other types of sudden unexpected infant deaths, especially accidental suffocation in bed.
Unfortunately, we cannot expect to prevent all SIDS deaths now. To do so requires a much greater understanding of SIDS, which will be achieved only with a commitment from those who value babies and with a considerably expanded research effort. However, there are things that can be done to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Reducing the Risk

By taking the following steps it is thought we may reduce the risk of infant death:

Always place babies on their backs to sleep. Babies who sleep on their backs are less likely to die of SIDS than babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides. Placing your baby on his or her back to sleep is the number one way to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Use the back sleep position every time. Babies who usually sleep on their backs but who are then placed on their stomachs, such as a nap, are at very high risk for SIDS. It is important for babies to sleep on their backs every time, for naps and at night.

Place your baby on a firm sleep surface, such as a safety-approved crib mattress covered with a fitted sheet. Never place a baby to sleep on a pillow, quilt, sheepskin, or other soft surface. The Consumer Product Safety Commission will have more information.

Keep soft objects, toys, and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area. Don’t use pillows, blankets, quilts, sheepskins, sleep positioner, or pillow-like bumpers in your baby’s sleep area. Keep all items away from the baby’s face.

Avoid letting your baby overheat during sleep. Dress your baby in light sleep clothing and keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult.

What does a safe sleep environment look like?
To learn more about safe sleep environment and reducing the risk of SIDS, check out the National Institute of Child Health Development (NICHD) publication: What does a safe sleep environment look like? at (http://www.nichd.nih.gov/sts/about/environment/Pages/look.aspx)

What groups are most at risk for SIDS?
Babies who are placed to sleep on their stomachs or sides are at higher risk for SIDS than babies who are placed on their backs to sleep. African-American babies are more than two times as likely to die of SIDS as Caucasian babies. American-Indian/Alaska Native babies are nearly three times as likely to die of SIDS as Caucasian babies.

Will my baby develop flat spots on his or her head from back sleeping?
For the most part, flat spots on a baby’s head go away a few months after the baby learns to sit up. There are other ways to reduce the chance that flat spots will develop on your baby’s head, such as providing "tummy time" when your baby is awake and someone is watching. "Tummy time" not only helps prevent flat spots, but it also helps a baby’s head, neck, and shoulder muscles get stronger.

SIDs Around the World 

SIDS rates were found to differ by country, as had reductions in rates.  For the last decade or so SIDS data has been collected in many countries: The United States, Canada, Argentina, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Japan, The Netherlands, Australia, and Mongolia.

New Zealand, Ireland and United States initially held the highest SIDs rates, with Japan and Mongolia held the lowest rates.  Scientists began to wonder why. Throughout the study they found that Japanese and Mongolian families put their babies to sleep on their backs, wrapped and “tied” blankets around their babies, which is also thought to reduce death rates and children are less likely to suffocate from loose blankets. Out of all the countries reporting today New Zealand remains the country to have the highest SIDs rates worldwide. The cause is still being investigated.

Bereavement

If you or someone you know has experienced the loss of an infant, the following organizations may offer support:

• Centering Corporation (http://www.centering.org)
• CJ Foundation for SIDS (http://www.cjsids.org)
• Compassionate Friends (http://www.compassionatefriends.org/home.aspx)
• First Candle (http://www.firstcandle.org/grieving-families)
• M.I.S.S Foundation and Alliance of Grandparents Against SIDS Tragedy (A.G.A.S.T) (http://www.missfoundation.org)
• Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support, Inc. (http://www.nationalshare.org)

References:

www.cdc.gov/sids

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/122/3/660.full

Berger, K. S. (2012).  The developing person through childhood (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishing