SIDS Safe to Sleep: Education Program and Risk Reduction

Introduction and Background

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a term used to define the sudden death of an infant for which no cause can be identified even after a complete investigation. Concerned authorities, healthcare providers, and caregivers are making considerable efforts to reduce the number of deaths attributable to SIDS and to lower its rate of prevalence. One of the primary tools used for this purpose is parent education and training (Berkowitz, 2012; Gurbutt, 2007; Kaada, 1986; Ottaviani, 2014; Rognum, 1995; Sawaguchi, 2013; Tildon, Roeder, & Steinschneider, 1983).

Concerned stakeholders have put considerable effort into reducing the prevalence of this disorder in the United States. Authorities and institutions have introduced a number of additional safe-sleep practices, including the use of pacifiers, the prevention of strollers and car safety seats as sleep settings for infants, and the reduction or elimination of blankets, extra bedding, and bumpers in infant sleep environments. Child care programs have also been recommended to avoid swaddling (Berkowitz, 2012; Gurbutt, 2007; Kaada, 1986; Ottaviani, 2014; Rognum, 1995; Sawaguchi, 2013; Tildon, Roeder, & Steinschneider, 1983).

Research Background

During the last two decades, physicians, medical professionals, nurses, healthcare providers, and other concerned authorities have made considerable efforts to reduce the number of infants who die because of SIDS. The decrease in SIDS-related deaths can be largely attributed to education campaigns and programs initiated by concerned institutions, designed to educate parents and healthcare providers about the risks associated with SIDS (Staff Members of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012; Staff Members of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2006; Staff Members of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2014; Staff Members of the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services, 2013).

As a result of these efforts, the United States has witnessed approximately a 50% decrease in fatalities caused by SIDS. There has also been an evident decrease in the number of infants placed to sleep on their stomachs — a position that elevates the risk of SIDS. The reduction in casualties in 1992 is also attributable to a statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics advising healthcare providers and parents to maintain a back or side sleep position for infants. Subsequently, the "Back to Sleep Campaign" was launched in 1994 after it was determined that side sleeping still contributed to SIDS-related deaths, further reducing the rate of infant fatalities (Berkowitz, 2012; Gurbutt, 2007; Kaada, 1986; Ottaviani, 2014; Rognum, 1995; Sawaguchi, 2013; Tildon, Roeder, & Steinschneider, 1983).

Problem Statement

Despite this progress, SIDS remains the major cause of death among infants between the ages of one month and one year in the United States. Infants between one month and four months of age are at the highest risk; however, babies up to one year of age can die from SIDS. The persistence of SIDS as a leading cause of infant death is largely due to insufficient transmission of knowledge about the syndrome (Berkowitz, 2012; Gurbutt, 2007; Kaada, 1986; Ottaviani, 2014; Rognum, 1995; Sawaguchi, 2013; Tildon, Roeder, & Steinschneider, 1983).

Reducing the rate of SIDS requires effective knowledge, action, and decision-making by parents, physicians, nurses, healthcare providers, and concerned institutions. The most critical players include parents, nurses caring for infants, and relevant authorities. It is also necessary for caregivers and teachers to continue providing parents with education about this syndrome, as approximately 2,250 infants up to the age of one year still die of SIDS each year in the United States (Berkowitz, 2012; Gurbutt, 2007; Kaada, 1986; Ottaviani, 2014; Rognum, 1995; Sawaguchi, 2013; Tildon, Roeder, & Steinschneider, 1983).

Research Aims

This paper aims to initiate a parent education program that will:

Identify strategies and best practices for the reduction of SIDS in the United States; develop effective strategies for the appropriate transmission of knowledge and information about this syndrome; and make recommendations for its effective management.

Significance of the Research

This research will provide concerned authorities, healthcare professionals, and institutions with information about parent education programs that may enable them to reduce the prevalence of SIDS and the number of deaths it causes. It will also contribute to the existing literature on the subject and provide information for individual researchers and institutions conducting further study on this topic (Berkowitz, 2012; Gurbutt, 2007; Kaada, 1986; Ottaviani, 2014; Rognum, 1995; Sawaguchi, 2013; Tildon, Roeder, & Steinschneider, 1983).