Despite a major decrease in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its recommendation in 1992, this decline has plateaued in recent years. Concurrently,other causes of sudden unexpected infant death that occur during sleep (sleep-related deaths), including suffocation, asphyxia,and entrapment, and ill-defined or unspecified causes of death have increased in incidence, particularly since the AAP published its last statement on SIDS in 2005. It has become increasingly important to address these other causes of sleep-related infant death. Many of themodifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for SIDS and suffocation are strikingly similar.
The AAP, therefore, is expanding its recommendations from focusing only on SIDS to focusing on a safe sleep environment that can reduce the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS.
What is SUID?
Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), also known as sudden unexpected death in infancy, is a term used to describe any sudden and unexpected death, whether explained or unexplained (including SIDS),that occurs during infancy.
Here are the Latest Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment published by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP):
Level A recommendations
Place babies to sleep on their backs.
Use a firm sleep surface.
Room-sharing without bed-sharing is recommended.
Keep soft objects and loose bedding out of the crib.
Pregnant women should receive regular prenatal care.
Avoid smoke exposure during pregnancy and after birth.
Avoid alcohol and illicit drug use during pregnancy and after birth.
Breastfeeding is recommended.
Consider offering a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
Consider offering a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
Avoid overheating.
Do not use home cardiorespiratory monitors as a strategy for reducing the risk of SIDS.
Expand the national campaign to reduce the risks of SIDS to include a major focus on the safe sleep environment and ways to reduce the risks of all sleeprelated infant deaths, including SIDS, suffocation, and other accidental deaths; pediatricians, family physicians, and other primary care providers should actively participate in this campaign
Level B recommendations
Infants should be immunized in accordance with recommendations of the AAP and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Avoid commercial devices marketed to reduce the risk of SIDS
Supervised, awake tummy time is recommended to facilitate development and to minimize development of positional plagiocephaly.
Level C recommendations
Health care professionals, staff in newborn nurseries and NICUs, and child care providers should endorse the SIDS risk-reduction recommendations from birth.
Media and manufacturers should follow safe-sleep guidelines in their messaging and advertising.
Continue research and surveillance on the risk factors, causes, and pathophysiological mechanisms of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths, with the ultimate goal of eliminating these deaths entirely.
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My name is Sarit Bronstein. I'm a stay at home mom and a mother of four. On my website, I strive to share my own practical experience as well as my broader acquired knowledge, based on research and experience of others.
