In 1994, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched its "Back
to Sleep" public health campaign aimed at reducing the number of deaths
resulting from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The NIH effort has
met with great success, reducing the number of infants who die from SIDS
by half, according to a new study published March 26, 2012, in Pediatrics.
That same study, however, showed that there is still a lot of work left to be done: SIDS remains the leading cause of death for infants aged 1-12 months. But SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths can be reduced, the researchers said.
"There are a few things I want nurses to know about the study," began Marianne Willinger, Ph.D., special assistant for SIDS at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health. "One is it confirms that as a result of more people placing babies on their backs to sleep, the SIDS rates have come down.”
“Among those babies who do die, however, bed sharing is the more prevalent cause now--a situation responsible for 60 percent of SIDS deaths,” she continued. “It doesn’t mean the absolute number has changed, but rather the proportion, and that is important because it means we need to target and discourage the bed sharing practice."
"There are still babies dying as a result of being placed on their stomachs," she added. "So we must continue to emphasize that babies be placed on their backs for all sleep periods by all caregivers, and we need to start focusing on encouraging parents not to share a bed with their baby and reducing the amount of soft bedding in the crib."
It is important that nurses know, understand and communicate the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) safe sleep guidelines. Studies have shown that nurses’ recommendations influence how a parent places the baby to sleep, and the more sources that communicate or reinforce the guidelines, the higher the likelihood that parents will put their baby on his or her back to sleep.
While most parents will receive a handout about SIDS after delivering their babies, Rose Danaher RN, BSN, BC, neonatal nurse practitioner at Littleton Adventist Hospital, in Littlabout turning them back."
The NIH offers a free online course for nurses to learn about SIDS risk reduction and how to communicate quickly and clearly to parents about what they can do to reduce their baby’s risk of SIDS. Completing the course earns 1.1 continuing education (CE) hours
That same study, however, showed that there is still a lot of work left to be done: SIDS remains the leading cause of death for infants aged 1-12 months. But SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths can be reduced, the researchers said.
"There are a few things I want nurses to know about the study," began Marianne Willinger, Ph.D., special assistant for SIDS at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health. "One is it confirms that as a result of more people placing babies on their backs to sleep, the SIDS rates have come down.”
“Among those babies who do die, however, bed sharing is the more prevalent cause now--a situation responsible for 60 percent of SIDS deaths,” she continued. “It doesn’t mean the absolute number has changed, but rather the proportion, and that is important because it means we need to target and discourage the bed sharing practice."
"There are still babies dying as a result of being placed on their stomachs," she added. "So we must continue to emphasize that babies be placed on their backs for all sleep periods by all caregivers, and we need to start focusing on encouraging parents not to share a bed with their baby and reducing the amount of soft bedding in the crib."
It is important that nurses know, understand and communicate the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) safe sleep guidelines. Studies have shown that nurses’ recommendations influence how a parent places the baby to sleep, and the more sources that communicate or reinforce the guidelines, the higher the likelihood that parents will put their baby on his or her back to sleep.
While most parents will receive a handout about SIDS after delivering their babies, Rose Danaher RN, BSN, BC, neonatal nurse practitioner at Littleton Adventist Hospital, in Littlabout turning them back."
The NIH offers a free online course for nurses to learn about SIDS risk reduction and how to communicate quickly and clearly to parents about what they can do to reduce their baby’s risk of SIDS. Completing the course earns 1.1 continuing education (CE) hours
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