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Overview |
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The Healthy Child Care America Back to Sleep Campaign is a an effort to
build on the success of 2 recent public awareness campaigns (The
AAP Healthy Child Care America Program and the NICHD
Back to Sleep Campaign) to unite child care, health, and National
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) partners across the United States to reduce
the incidence of SIDS in family child care homes and center-based child care programs.
In 2005 - 2006 the Campaign will continue to provide educational
materials and technical assistance to child care providers and the families that
they serve. A research study will also be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness
of the Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care Speaker's Kit in changing the behavior
of child care providers. Call 888/227-5409 or email childcare@aap.org
for more information on this initiative. What are you looking
for?
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| Spotlight |
- Reducing the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Child Care and Changing Provider Practices: Lessons Learned From a Demonstration Project
From September 2004 through September 2007, the AAP coordinated a project to evaluate the use of the AAP Speakers' Kit combined with a training and evaluation effort that incorporated direct observation of child care provider practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum and train-the-trainer model in changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (reported and observed) in child care providers with regards to sleep position and other elements of a safe sleep environment for infants. A secondary objective was to assess challenges and barriers to implementing safe infant sleep guidelines in child care settings.
- SIDS Statistics
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics released the report, “Infant Mortality Statistics from the 2004 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set,” in May, 2007. Data on SIDS is presented on pp. 9-10 and Table 7 on pp. 25.
- State
Child Care Regulations Regarding Infant Sleep Environment Since the Healthy Child
Care America Back to Sleep Campaign
The study found that the campaign
has been successful in promoting safe infant sleep regulations. The AAP helped
launch the campaign in 2003 to address the fact that the sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS) rate in child care settings had remained constant despite the decrease
in SIDS deaths overall. Since then, 60 of the 101 related state child care regulations
have been revised, with more than half requiring that babies be put to sleep on
their backs and soft bedding not be used in cribs.
- AAP
Revises SIDS Risk Reduction Recommendations
Despite major decreases in
the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) over the past decade, SIDS
is still responsible for more infant deaths beyond the newborn period in the US
than any other cause of death during infancy. In an updated policy statement,
the AAP provides recommendations to reduce the risk of SIDS.
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Safe Sleep - Easy Steps for Caregivers
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- Healthy babies should always sleep on their backs. Side sleeping
is not as safe as back sleeping and is not advised.
- Get a physician's
note for non-back sleepers that explains why the baby should not use a back-sleeping
position.
- Use safety-approved cribs and firm mattresses (cradles and
bassinets may provide safe sleeping enclosures, but safety standards have not
been established for these items).
- Keep cribs free of toys, stuffed animals,
and extra bedding.
- Place the child's feet to the foot of the crib and
tuck in a light blanket along the sides and foot of the mattress. The blanket
should not come up higher than the infant's chest. Another option is to
use sleep clothing and nothing else in the infant's crib.
- Sleep only 1
baby per crib.
- Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for
a lightly clothed adult.
- Visually check on sleeping babies often.
- No
smoking around babies. Make sure babies are being watched when you go outside
to smoke. Child care providers who smoke should do so outside, with an overcoat
on. The overcoat will be removed when they return to work. Never allow smoking
in a room where babies sleep, as exposure to smoke in a room where babies sleep,
as exposure to smoke is linked to an increased risk of SIDS.
- Have supervised
"tummy time" for awake babies. This will help babies strengthen their
muscles and develop normally.
- Teach staff about safe sleep policies and
practices and be sure to review these practices often.
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| Publications |
- A
Child Care Provider's Guide to Safe Sleep
This easy-to-read brochure provides
child care providers with straightforward information about safe sleep practices,
as well as information about SIDS.
Click here to view the brochure in Spanish.
- A
Parents' Guide to Safe Sleep
This brochure is similar to the Child Care
Provider's guide, but the intended audience is parents. It includes information
about working with child care providers to ensure that safe sleep practices are
used both in the home and in child care.
Click here to view the brochure in Spanish.
- Tummy
Time
Although babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, supervised
tummy time is an important part of healthy development. Read about the importance
of supervised tummy time in this brochure.
Click here to view the brochure in Spanish.
For additional
publications related to SIDS, click here.
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| Training and Education |
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For
additional training and educational resources, click here.
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