Ask Dr. Sue - SIDS, Child Health Month, Health and Safety Standards

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Preventable SIDS Deaths Occur in Child Care

Too many infants are dying in child care from the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - in part because child care providers still put babies to sleep on their tummies. This startling finding was reported in the July 1997 issue of Pediatrics. In the article, the researchers summarized their telephone survey of how child care centers put infants to sleep in Washington, DC and two nearby counties. They obtained responses from 131 of 137 licensed centers, or 96% of licensed centers that care for infants in the metropolitan area.

Publicity about the prevention of SIDS when infants sleep on their backs has been associated with a remarkable reduction in tummy positioning for infants and a precipitous drop in SIDS deaths. In 1992, over 70% of US parents put their infants to sleep on their tummies. By 1995, only 30% of parents put their infants to sleep ...