1. SIDS Training for Childcare Providers/ Foster Parents

2. Needs Regular and ongoing SIDS education and
training programs for specific groups,
including childcare providers.
(SB1067 passed in 1989)

3. Needs Information and instructional materials
relating to SIDS to be provided to family
day care homes and other child day
care facilities.
(AB757, effective July 1, 1998)

4. Needs Medical effects of SIDS Risk factors for SIDS
Training to provide information and materials which explain:
Medical effects of SIDS
Risk factors for SIDS
Measures to reduce the risk of SIDS

5. We Will Talk About: What SIDS is and what it is not
How to reduce the risk of SIDS
The SIDS emergency
The investigation of the death
Your feelings following a SIDS death
How to talk to other children
What to say to the parents of a SIDS baby

6. Definition of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
The sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant usually under one year of age which remains unexplained after a:
complete medical history
death scene investigation
postmortem examination
SIDS is a Diagnosis of Exclusion

7. SIDS can happen in any family
What Happens
Baby is usually healthy or may have had sniffles or cold
Baby is put down for nap or night
Found dead minutes to hours later
No sign of struggle or distress
SIDS can happen in any family

8. Facts about SIDS
The leading cause of death in infants between one month and one year of age in the U.S.
Happens in about one of every live births
Happens most often between two and four months of age
Happens most often in winter

9. SIDS is Not Caused by: Suffocation Vomiting or choking Child abuse
Disease or illness
Immunizations

10. Difference Between SIDS and Child Abuse
Physical appearance of SIDS infant
Exhibits no external signs of injury
Exhibits a “natural” appearance of a dead baby:
Lividity—settling of blood, frothy drainage from nose/mouth
Small marks, e.g., diaper rash may look more severe
Cooling/rigor mortis—takes place quickly in infants, in as little as three hours

11. Difference Between SIDS and Child Abuse
Distinguishable and visible signs of injury in infants less than one year of age
Broken bone(s)
Head trauma e.g., black eyes
Bruises
Scars
Burns
Welts
Cuts
Wounds

12. Maternal Risk Factors Young—less than 19 years of age
Tobacco use doubles the risk of SIDS
Substance use is associated with increased risk
Limited or late prenatal care
Short intervals between pregnancies

13. Infant Risk Factors for SIDS
Male gender
Infant age
Low birth weight
Multiple births
Premature birth
Babies can die of SIDS without having risk factors

14. Multifactorial SIDS Theory
Infant’s Physiologic Responses
SIDS
Development
Environment

15. Infant’s Physiologic Responses
Oxygen reduced, carbon dioxide increased
Arousal response deficit
Subtle brainstem dysfunction
Slow development

16. Development—age vulnerability
2-4 months—75%
4-6 months—15%
Respiratory system is unstable in all infants
May take less of an environmental stress to trigger SIDS at this age.

17. Environmental Factors
Sleep position
Smoking
Temperature
Bedding
Swaddling
Season
Minor respiratory symptoms
Drug use
Poverty
Limited prenatal care

18. 9 Ways to Reduce the Risk of SIDS
1. Always place a baby on his/her Back to Sleep, even for naps.
2. Never allow smoking around a baby.
3. Place a baby on a firm, flat surface to sleep.
4. Remove all soft things such as loose bedding, pillows, and stuffed toys from the sleep area.
5. Never place a baby on a sofa, waterbed, soft chair, pillow or bean bag.
6. Take special precautions when a baby is in bed with you.
7. Make sure a baby doesn’t get too hot.
8. Keep a baby’s face and head uncovered during sleep.
9. Share this information with everyone who cares for a baby.

19. What to Do in an Emergency
When a child does not respond:
Check for breathing
Call your local emergency number (911)
Begin CPR
Call a backup person to assist you
Explain to the other children what is happening and remove them from the area of the emergency
Contact the child’s parents

20. When SIDS Happens Baby found not breathing Call is made to 911
EMS, fire or police respond
Decision is made about CPR and transport
Baby is pronounced dead
Coroner goes to the death scene, home or hospital

21. The Investigation
The law requires that an investigation be conducted in all unexplained deaths.
You may be asked to help and be questioned by:
Law enforcement
Licensing
Coroner

22. The Investigation Serves Three Purposes
Helps determine the cause of death
Helps us learn more about SIDS
Reinforces that no one is to blame for a SIDS death

23. Coroner’s Responsibilities
Investigate death scene
Obtain complete medical history
Have autopsy performed
Contact county health department
Notify parents of apparent cause of death
Inform California SIDS Program
Sign death certificate

24. Local Health Department Responsibilities
Contact family/childcare provider within three working days
Services to be provided:
Assess family, childcare provider/foster parent or both
Crisis intervention and counseling
Referral to community services
Follow-up care to assess progress
Submit report of contact to the California SIDS Program

25. The Parents
The parent of the SIDS baby may ask you to go over and over what happened
The parents of the other children may want to know what happened
Until the diagnosis of SIDS is made, both you and the parents will be anxious about the baby’s death.

26. After a SIDS Event Share the facts
Tell the parents what you told their children
Give each family pamphlets about SIDS
Ask a nurse or someone from your local parent support group to come and speak about SIDS.

27. How to Tell the Other Children
Explain things:
Simply and truthfully
Use actual words like died and death, not words like went away or asleep
Tell them:
The baby died of SIDS, and no one is to blame
SIDS does not happen often and it only happens to babies
They did nothing wrong
Encourage the children to:
Ask questions
Express and/or demonstrate their feelings

28. Your Feelings—What to Expect
Guilt
Distrust of your ability to care for children
Crying spells or depression
Loss of sleep or appetite
Anger
Fear that it will happen again
Over protectiveness or impatience with the children
Abandoned and alone

29. Support and Services Ask friends, relatives, co-workers for support
Remember, you are an important person and that your services are valuable
Do not quit

30. State Resources California SIDS Program 800-369-SIDS (7437)
Community Care Licensing Child Care Advocacy Program

31. Local Resources Local Health Department SIDS Program
_________________________
Local Bereavement Support Group

32. California SIDS Program
This PowerPoint presentation is copyrighted, but may be reproduced without permission. We request that proper credit be given to: California Department of Health Services/ California SIDS Program
Produced by the California SIDS Program under funding by the California Department of Health Services, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Branch © 2005
California Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program
SIDS (7437) •