News: Infant Mortality

"Back to Sleep" Campaign to Reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

December 15, 2004

The National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD) sponsors a campaign called "Back to Sleep" with the goal of reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). NICHD announces collaborative efforts targeting the African American community in the campaign. Over the past 10 years the SIDS rate for African Americans as well as the total population has declined dramatically. However, the SIDS rate for African Americans is still twice that of Whites. Every year SIDS claims the lives of 2,500 infants. Although the cause of SIDS is unclear there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk.

The NICHD recommends infants should be placed on their backs to sleep without blankets or fluffy bedding under or over them. If a blanket needs to be used it should be no higher than the baby's chest and should be tucked in under the mattress. There should be no pillows, and no stuffed toys. The baby's room should be comfortable for an adult to sleep. Another benefit of having an infant sleep on his or her back is that they will have fewer fevers and ear infections.

Although there has been a dramatic decline in the number of SIDS cases among African Americans a disparity still remains. This article discusses the collaboration effort of the NICHD, 100 Black Women, Inc., the NAACP ant the AKA to further educate and raise awareness in order to help prevent SIDS among African Americans and eliminate the disparity.

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Source: "Back to Sleep Campaign Marks Tenth Anniversary with Renewed Effort to Cut SIDS Rates in African American Community", October 13, 2004, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)