SIDS is the sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history (http://sids.org/index.htm).
I chose this health topic because a friend close to me lost her child to SIDS. I can not imagine the pain a parent feels when they enter a room to check on their innocent, sleeping baby and find him unresponsive. This has to be one of the worst tragedies. I remember the questions that went through her mind. What could I have done differently? What if…? Because the exact causes of SIDS are not defined, researchers can only offer precautions that can be taken by parents and caregivers to ensure added safety and to eliminate risks.
In Germany, a study was conducted to investigate the risk factors of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This disorder continues to be the leading cause of death in most developed countries. The research shows that the United State has far more deaths contributed to SIDS than Germany.
In 2005 in Germany 298 infants died of SIDS, emphasizing the continued importance of this disorder. The number of SIDS deaths in the United States in 2005 was 2230 (Vennemann, 2009).
Regardless of the country in which you reside, there are many precautionary steps that can reduce the risk of SIDS. While working in the early childhood field, especially at the location I am currently employed, it is important to train staff about the risk factors of SIDS and ensure that they have a clear understanding of the health topic. In the same respect I believe it would be beneficial to distribute information with new infant families on ways to reduce the risks as well.
References:
Vennemann, M. M. et al (2009). Sleep environment risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome: The german sudden infant death syndrome study. Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 123(4), 1162-1170. doi: (doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-0505)
http://sids.org/index.htm. (n.d.)
I also chose SIDS for my topic. I think that as teachers make sure we provide the best care possible for children.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great information
This is a very serious topic and thanks Erika for providing us with the information. I will check out the website to learn more about SIDS. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteKarie
Hi Erika,
ReplyDeleteI also chose SIDS it is such an important topic. Over the past several years working with the Resource and Referral Network I realized that there are some licensed providers and numerous parents that have heard of SIDS but did not know anything else about it. I feel that as educators it is important for us to share as much information as possible with parents and providers on the possible causes and different things that can be done to help prevent a child from dying from SIDS. There are so many wonderful resources that are available to them. By sharing this information we may help save a life.
Evening Erika,
ReplyDeleteSIDS is a very very important topic. I want to thank you for providing the link I will be using it to further my knowledge an this topic. As a Head Start teacher it is very important that we know about the different things that illnesses in children, signs to look for and make sure that we provide a warm safe environment for them possible.
Hi Erika,
ReplyDeleteI feel this is a very serious topic. I can tell the difficulty that the parents would have to recover from the death of their child. They may have serious psychological problems after that. As an educator, I would like to learn more of SIDS, and also I would like to know more and more capable of helping the parents out of that situation.
Thanks for sharing.
Erika,
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you on the grief parents would have lossing their baby to SIDS. I am not a parent, but I do know a family that did loose a baby to SIDS. It has been better than 20 years ago now . I think it still affects them , though the couple does not often talk about it . They have 2 healthy grown children and one that has some special needs. He will always need constat care. Because they did have other children , they chose not to focus on their loss but to celebrate what they were blessed with instead. I find it interesting , the developed and developing countries have the most number of cases. Why is that verses the underdeveloped ones?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is a serious topic and I don't think parents are given enough information when they leave home from the hospital with their newborn. When I had my children I worried about this constantly. I would get up at all hours making sure they were ok. I don't know any parents that have lost their child to SIDS but my heart goes out to those who have. This is something we need to become more familiar with and help educate parents about it.
ReplyDeleteI can not imagine the pain of anyone losing a child either Erika. Just to think that you have carried this little bundle of joy inside you for 10 months. Than you only have a few weeks or month to nourish and care for them. And it is sad to say that they really can't find out the cause of SID. And I too was like Vicki, when my daughter delivered her daughter I was up all times of the night just to make sure that she was breathing and that she was alright.
ReplyDelete