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If you're in need of
crisis intervention due
to a loss from SIDS:
Call 1-800-421-3511
for 24/7 phone contact to crisis counselors
E-mail us with a specific question or to provide a callback date and time
Go to the Bereaved Families section of this website for more information on coping with your loss.
Information about our Upcoming Events
Information for Parents and the Community
- What is SIDS?
- What Can I Do To Reduce My Baby's Risk of SIDS?
- Additional Information About Risk Reduction Techniques
- Infant Sleep Enviroment and Bedding
- SIDS Risk-Reduction Frequently Asked Questions
- The St. Louis Urban Outreach Council
- Community Education Opportunities
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the number one cause of infant mortality for babies from one month to one year of age. The definition of SIDS is the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant, under one year of age. The death remains unexplained after a complete medical history review, autopsy and death scene investigation, which are required by law.
While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, researchers have been able to identify factors that are associated with infants and infant care practices that increase the risk for SIDS. As a result, risk reduction recommendations have been established. Parents and other caregivers should remember that if practiced, these risk reduction techniques will dramatically reduce the risk of SIDS. They are listed below.
What Can I Do To Reduce My Baby's Risk of SIDS?
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SIDS Resources is honored to have had the opportunity to participate in the production of a DVD along with the Terrell and Freedline families. The DVD was made in loving memory of their daughters Lola Marie Terrell and Sydney Nicole Freedline. You may view this video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErPcyNeF8E4 or you may call 800-421-3511 for a copy.
- Place your baby on his/her back to sleep, for night time and nap time sleep throughout the first year of life. Stomach and side sleeping positions are dangerous and should be avoided.
- Do not smoke while you are pregnant and do not let anyone smoke around your baby or in your home.
- The baby’s crib should have a firm mattress, covered by a thin fitted sheet.
- The baby should be wearing what he/she needs for warmth rather than covering the baby with blankets or quilts.
- Pillows, stuffed animals, bumper pads and similar items should not be in the baby’s sleep area.
- Do not use wedges or other positioning devices – they are not proven to reduce risk and have been a possible causative factor in SIDS type deaths.
- Do not let the baby sleep on soft things like cushions, pillows, comforters, the couch, armchairs, an adult bed or waterbed.
- Do not let your baby get too hot. Do not over bundle your baby in blankets or clothes. If your baby is sweating, flushed, has damp hair, or a heat rash the baby may be too hot – remove a layer(s) of clothing and/or keep the room cooler. A baby that has a fever, is breathing fast, or seems to not be able to rest, may also be too hot.
- Take good care of yourself when you are going to have a baby. See your doctor regularly when you are pregnant.
- Take good care of your baby. Keep your well baby appointments. Take your baby to the doctor when he/she seems sick.
- Breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding has been shown to prevent ear infections, allergies and other infant health problems.
- Consider using a pacifier for sleep times, pacifiers have proven to be a possible protective factor. If your baby is breastfeeding, wait one month until breastfeeding is established before introducing the pacifier.
- Remember that a crib is the safest place for babies to sleep. Sleeping with adults and other children and in places other than a safe crib increases the risk for SIDS and accidental suffocation.
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Additional Information About Specific Risk Reduction Techniques
Sleep Position
In the time period between 1992-2000, SIDS RATES HAVE DECREASED BY 50% or more as more babies were placed on their backs to sleep!
The American Academy of Pediatrics Back-to-Sleep Recommendations:
- "Infants should be placed for sleep in a supine position (wholly on the back) for every sleep"
- "Side sleeping is not a safe alternative to back sleeping and is not advised"
- In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommended babies be placed on their backs or sides to to sleep.
- In 1996, after a 38% decrease in the SIDS rates, the AAP modified the recommendation to back only (eliminating the side sleeping position from its recommendations)
- In 1998, SIDS rates reportedly dropped by 43% since 1992.
When using the back sleep position remember:
- Place baby on his/her back for sleep throughout the first year.
- If an Infant is placed on his/her back as soon as possible after, the baby will become accustomed to the position and will sleep soundly.
- For a baby to be fully on his/her back, both shoulder blades should be touching the mattress.
- As babies learn to roll from back to front and front to back they will choose their own sleep position during sleep, however it is still important to initially place the baby on the back when put to sleep.
- It is important to allow your baby to be on his/her tummy when awake. Tummy time for awake babies is important for the development of upper body strength, crawling skills and for motor development.
Infant Sleep Environment and Bedding
- Medical researchers have studied the possibility that soft bedding may trap exhaled air that contains low amounts of oxygen. The baby then may rebreathe this air and not get enough oxygen. The lack of oxygen may present a challenge to a baby in the critical development development period (first year of life) and serve as a triggering event for SIDS.
- Soft surfaces, such as pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins or stuffed toys should be removed from the baby's sleep environment.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Recommendation For Infant Sleep Environment and Bedding
- "A firm crib mattress, covered by a sheet, is the recommended sleeping surface"
- "Keep soft objects (such as pillows, quilts, comforters and stuffed toys) and loose bedding out of the crib"
- Infants may be brought into bed for nursing or comfort but should be returned to their own crib or bassinet when the parent is ready to return to sleep
- "There is growing evidence that room sharing is associated with reduced risk of SIDS. The AAP recommends a separate but proximate (close) sleeping environment"
How to Create a Safe Sleep Environment For Your Baby
- Place the baby on their back on a standard, firm infant mattress to sleep.
- Do not place the baby on makeshift or improvised sleeping arrangements or bedding intended for adult use, such as a sofa, sofa cushion, waterbed, featherbed, bean bag, pillow, or sheepskin to sleep (Consumer Product Safety Commission).
- Avoid using second-hand, hand-me-down or family heirloom cribs, cradles, mattresses or other bedding items which may be unsafe and not meet current safety standards (Consumer Product Safety Commission).
- Consider having your baby sleep in a sleeper or jump suit with no blankets.
- If you choose to use blankets, use lightweight blankets in the baby's crib and avoid using soft, fluffy blankets, comforters or quilts. A receiving blanket is typically sufficient.
- Remove extra items from the baby's crib or sleep environment, e.g. pillows, rolls of bedding, stuffed animals, hanging toys, etc. Positioning devices marketed to keep babies on their backs should not be used!
- Instead, place decorative items (quilts and pillows) elsewhere in the baby's room for decoration.
- Always keep baby's face and head clear of blankets and remember, it is not necessary to cover the baby's head with a hat indoors.
What is "BEDSHARING" and is it safe?
Sometimes parents do not have cribs for their baby or choose to sleep with their babies, placing them in an adult bed. This is often referred to as "Bedsharing."
It is important to know that babies have died accidentally in adult beds and while sleeping with adults and/or siblings on surfaces not designed for an infant. Babies may suffocate or be wedged between the bed and the wall or headboard. The adult bed is an unsafe place for babies!
Research demonstrates that babies are at an increased risk of dying when sleeping in adult beds, particularly prior to 11 weeks of age. Another study shows the risk is up to 40 times greater while sleeping in an adult bed, rather than a safe crib. The safest place for your baby to sleep is alone, on his or her back, and in a crib.
Babies should also never sleep on couches, waterbeds, chairs or pillows.
For more information about the above issues, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics website and read their position statement regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Child Care Provider Policies
If you are taking your baby to child care, please ask if they have a policy on sleep position. All child care providers should place babies to sleep on their backs at all times!
If this is not a policy, you need to ask that they give you something in writing stating that they will comply with your request to place your baby on his/her back for sleep. If they do not want to do this, find a different child care provider.
SIDS-Reduction Recommended Practices
The following guidelines should be used to determine if your child care provider practices SIDS risk reduction and safe sleep practices:
- They always place your baby on his/her back for sleep.
- They only place your baby sleeps is in a safety approved crib with a firm, tight fitting mattress.
- Only one baby/child is allowed per crib.
- The crib is situated in a safe location (not near windows, cords, blinds, outlets etc…).
- There are no blankets, pillows, quilts, bumper pads, positioners/wedges, stuffed animals or other loose, soft or fluffy materials/objects in the crib.
- The room where your baby sleeps is a comfortable temperature (to avoid overheating).
- There is NO SMOKING allowed in the house/center or anywhere around your baby.
- Your baby is checked on frequently while asleep.
Share this list with potential providers and tell them these are YOUR requirements for your baby!
If you are concerned that your provider is not familiar with SIDS risk reduction techniques or would like us to contact him/her or the center where they work to offer a free program on SIDS risk reduction, please call us and pass along their contact information.
Educational Programs for Child Care Providers and Centers
SIDS Resources offers free educational programs on SIDS risk reduction and safe sleep for child care providers and centers which are approved for CLOCK HOURS by the State of Missouri.
We also have educational materials for providers and parents including a sample safe-sleep policy for your center which are available free of charge for distribution at your center.
To schedule a presentation or to order materials, please contact:
- Teresa Buehler, (314) 822-2323
- Cheryl Arneill, (816) 569-6956
- Sara Tamburrino, 573-364-5900
- 800-421-3511 and leave a message
Commonly Asked Questions and Answers about SIDS Risk Reduction
Will a baby choke if she is placed on their back to sleep?
No. There is no evidence that healthy babies are more likely to experience serious or fatal choking episodes when they are placed on their backs to sleep. In fact, babies may actually clear secretions better placed on their backs.
If researchers do not know the cause of SIDS, how can doctors make risk reduction recommendations?
Researchers document and analyze the characteristics of and circumstances surrounding babies who have died of SIDS. As a result, doctors have documented certain "trends" or "characteristics" of SIDS babies. Doctors can then state that certain babies may be more likely to die of SIDS and recommend risk reduction measures to reduce the rate of SIDS deaths.
Will the risk reduction recommendations prevent SIDS?
No. Sometimes babies die of SIDS even when their parents or caregivers have followed all of the recommendations. Again, researchers are only able to make recommendations based on "trends" and do not know the exact cause(s) of SIDS at this time.
Are there any negative effects of placing babies on their backs to sleep?
No. However, it is important to place babies on their tummies during awake and/or play time to allow them to develop other muscles.
If I do not place my baby in a crib, is she/he still at risk for SIDS?
Yes, SIDS can happen anywhere, during a period of sleep. Babies placed in cribs are actually safer than if they are placed on other surfaces, such as an adult bed, a waterbed or a couch to sleep.
Is it okay if I or other family members sleep with my baby?
Again, a crib is the safest place for a baby to sleep. If you are concerned about checking on your baby or just want your baby to sleep close to you, it is best to place him/her in a crib next to your bed to keep the baby safe. Sleeping with a baby on a couch or a waterbed is especially dangerous, as well as sleeping with a baby after drinking or taking drugs (even cold medicine) and/or allowing baby to share a bed with siblings.
Can babies be revived if they are found not breathing?
Many researchers and clinicians have a strong sense that the SIDS process, whatever it turns out to be, cannot be easily interrupted or stopped. However, it is important to always perform resuscitation efforts, because a SIDS diagnosis cannot be made at the time the baby is found not breathing. If a baby is revived, it is generally found that the baby temporarily stopped breathing due to recognized medical problems(i.e. apnea) or an Apparent Life Threatening Event (ALTE), an extended period of apnea.
Is there a relationship between SIDS and apnea?
Most researchers do not believe there is a strong relationship between SIDS and apnea or ALTEs (apparent life threatening events). As SIDS rates have fallen, ALTE rates have not. Studies linking the two are outdated.
Is there an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) for subsequent siblings of babies who have died of SIDS?
Current research currently shows no sufficient risk of having a subsequent sibling die of SIDS. Any increased risk does not represent an inherited predisposition but may relate to environmental risk factors which may be modifiable. The great majority of parents go on to have other healthy children that do not die of SIDS.
Do DPT or other immunizations (shots) cause SIDS?
No. SIDS has been around much longer than DPT and other immunizations have been. Researchers have found no relationship between immunizations and SIDS. In fact some data support DPT shots as a protective factor to reduce the risk of SIDS.
How great is the risk of SIDS for babies' whose mothers smoke or for babies living in smokers' households?
The risk of SIDS death is 3 times higher for mothers who smoke while pregnant. After pregnancy, the risk rises depending on the number of smokers in the household and the number of cigarettes smoked by each person. Research suggest the risk of a SIDS death is at least 2 times higher for babies living in smokers' households.
Why is breastfeeding a recommendation for reducing the risk of SIDS?
Breastfed babies may have fewer upper respiratory infections which may be triggering events for SIDS. While studies in the US show breastfeeding to be only a weak protective factor, studies in other countries show it to be a strong protective factor. Breastfeeding is not protective if the mother smokes.
SIDS Resources' Urban Outreach Program
WHAT IS URBAN OUTREACH?
The St. Louis Urban Outreach Program targets parents, grandparents, and families in the African American communities. Our Urban Outreach Coordinator, with the assistance of the Urban Outreach Council, strives to address racial and ethnic disparities which exist in SIDS and infant mortality rates. African American infants are 2-3 more likely to die in the first year of life than Caucasian infants. We provide vital risk reduction education to the African American community, in an effort to decrease the rates of SIDS and other infant deaths.
Objectives
- Provide vital risk reduction education to African American communities about SIDS
- Promote African American involvement in the dissemination of risk reduction educational material.
- Reduce racial disparity in SIDS and infant death outcomes.
- Assist bereaved families in a culturally competent manner.
Urban Outreach Council
The Urban Outreach Council is a group of volunteers committed to reducing the rate of SIDS and infant mortality within the African American community. The council expands SIDS Resources’ ability to address both bereavement and education needs of the urban community and helps garner a broader acceptance of SIDS as a priority issue. The council is comprised of individuals with diverse backgrounds who represent churches, health organizations, social service agencies, the media, coalitions, government organizations, foundations and community members. The Council works in partnership with SIDS families, the Department of Health, the Maternal, Child and Family Health Coalition, other professionals and corporate representatives throughout St. Louis to raise awareness and help disseminate information about SIDS and infant mortality.
For more information, or to volunteer for this program, please call or email Velma Harris Walker, 314-822-2323 or vhwalker@sidsresources.org.
Community Education Opportunities
Promoting Healthy Babies & Reducing the Risk of SIDS and Other Infant Deaths
SIDS Resources conducts workshops, attends health fairs and provides information to new parents, grandparents, extended family members, friends, foster parents and child care providers caring for a new baby. Workshops provide information on SIDS, the latest research, and risk reduction recommendations. Workshops ensure parents and caregivers are aware of the latest and most accurate information on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other infant deaths. Workshops allow parents the unique opportunity to ask questions about the recommendations and gain an understanding into the reasons behind the recommendations. Trainings can be custom-designed for child birth classes, health education classes, parent education programs, Male Responsibility programs, associations, civic group meetings, churches, community events, company meetings or Events, and school activities.
"I think that (the speaker) told me a lot of stuff that I didn't know.
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New Teen Parent
Beaumont High School
Parents as Teachers Program
St.
Louis, Missouri
Workshops and most educational materials are provided free of charge. Workshops usually last 1 hour and can also be easily modified to one half hour. Format includes lecture, discussion, Q & A, and videotapes designed specifically for the parents and grandparents. Workshops include brochures, summary sheets and research articles and can be provided anywhere throughout the state. Please call the location nearest you to schedule a presentation or email Teresa Buehler, Outreach and Training Director at tbuehler@sidsresources.org.
"I really enjoyed the speaker and the handouts."
-New Mother
St. Vincent's Women's Group Home
Kansas City, Missouri
"I think the speakers should visit more young parents."
-New Teen Parent
Beaumont High School
Parents as Teachers Program
St. Louis, Missouri
For more information or to set up a presentation, call or email the person in your local office. Contact information can be found on the “find us” link at the top of the home page.
Updated April 28, 2009