Publications

American Academy of Pediatrics
- Latest recommendations regarding SIDS from the AAP. These new recommendations highlight the importance of previous recommendations, add new recommendations based on recent research findings and list the studies underlying recommendation decisions.

Georgia SIDS Project E-Zine Electronic Update
The Georgia SIDS Project produces a monthly newsletter, which includes the latest research findings. These documents contain links to research articles and information. To add yourself to the monthly mailing list, contact us.

Division of Public Health Publications
" Back is Best" Brochure  (English) Korean Vietnamese
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the number one cause of death in infants between one week and one year of age. DPH has developed a Georgia-specific educational brochure for parents of newborns, "Back is Best". Copies of the English brochure are now available to hospitals, health departments, and others through the State DHR Central Supply. To order brochures and forms in quantity, please download and submit the State order form. Korean and Vietnamese versions are not available pre-printed but can be down loaded and printed for distribution.

Safe Sleep Flyer
The Metro Atlanta Safe Sleep Campaign has created a safe sleep flyer. To order additional copies, contact us.

Safe Kids Safe Sleep Flyer
Safe Kids of Georgia has created a safe sleep flyer entitled “ Don't Smother your baby, they need room to breathe.” Call 1-800-822-2539 for ordering information.

Support Program Fact Sheet  
A one page Fact Sheet that describes the goals of the Georgia Public Health's SIDS Information and Support Program.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the Child Care Provider  
A brochure encompassing common questions and answers, as well as recommendations.

Media Announcements
The following are state and national media announcements and proclamations relating to SIDS and infant mortality.

1. News from CNN

2. Media Alerts

External Publications

McKenna & McDade - 2005 - Why Babies Should Sever Sleep Alone.
In the Paediatr Respir Rev. June 2005, Dr. James McKenna and T. McDade have authored an article entitled Why babies should never sleep alone: A review of the co-sleeping controversy in relation to SIDS, bed sharing and breast feeding. There has been much controversy over whether infants should co-sleep or bed share with an adult caregiver and over whether such practices increase the risk of SIDS or fatal accident. However, despite opposition from medical authorities or the police, many western parents are increasingly adopting night-time infant care giving patterns that include some co-sleeping, especially by those mothers who choose to breast feed.

Center for Disease Control: National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
- Information and statistics on SIDS including data analysis and death scene investigation guidelines.

Guidelines for Death Scene Investigation of Sudden, Unexplained Infant Deaths: Recommendations of the Interagency Panel on Sudden infant Death Syndrome
- CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 21, 1996 / 45(RR-10);1-6

Sample Drill: Emergency Procedures for An Unresponsive Infant  
- How to run emergency drills for SIDS emergencies in a child care setting.

Setting Policy on Infant Sleep Position  
- Information on how to create policies governing sleep position in a daycare setting

Appendix Instructions for Completing the Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Report Form (SUIDIRF)
- CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report June 21, 1996 / 45(RR- 10);7-22

Dekalb and Fulton County Summary Report on Infant Fatalities Due to SIDS and Positional Asphyxia 1999-2001
- County level report on infant fatalities 1999-2001

AAP Says Home Apnea Monitors Should Not Be Prescribed Solely To Prevent SIDS - Apnea, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and Home Monitoring, American Academy Of Pediatrics. Policy Statement
- Recommendations on home monitoring for SIDS prevention 

Bed Sharing with Siblings, Soft Bedding, Increase SIDS Risk
- Infants who share a bed with other children are at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than other infants, according to the most recent analysis of a study of predominantly African American SIDS deaths in Chicago .

Most Definitive Study of Its Kind Shows That Sleeping on the Stomach Increases Infant SIDS Risk
- Researchers have conducted the most definitive study of its kind to show that sleeping on the stomach increases the risk of U.S. infants for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Previously, researchers had relied largely on overseas studies for making the recommendation that infants be placed on the back to sleep in order to reduce their risk for SIDS.

Latest studies confirm increased risk for infants who sleep face down
- See recent study published in the April 2003 Pediatrics, Occurrence and Mechanisms of Sudden Oxygen Desaturation in Infants Who Sleep Face Down Aloka L. Patel, MD, Dorota Paluszynska, MD, Kathleen A. Harris and Bradley T. Thach, MD From the St Louis Children's Hospital and the Edward Mallinckrodt Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.

Recent studies suggest cultural influences for specific infant care practices must be more clearly understood to close gap between SIDS risk factor awareness and behavioral changes to achieve reduction in SIDS racial disparities rates.
- See study published April 2003 Pediatrics. Effect of a Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Risk Reduction Education Program on Risk Factor Compliance and Information Sources in Primarily Black Urban Communities Kenneth A. Rasinski, PhD*, Alma Kuby, MBA*, Stefanie A. Bzdusek, BA*, Jean M. Silvestri, MD and Debra E. Weese-Mayer, MD * National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois Department of Pediatrics, Rush Children's Hospital at Rush-Presbyterian-St Luke's Medical Center, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois.

Recent proposal recommends refinement of SIDS definition into 2 tiers for purposes of administration and death certification as well as research and statistics.
- See report Defining the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome J. Bruce Beckwith, MD Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2003;157:286-290.

Study on SIDS and childhood vaccines
- Questions are circulating about a causal relationship between SIDS and childhood vaccines. We suggest you view the following study Immunization Safety Review: Vaccinations and Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy Kathleen Stratton, Donna A. Almario, Theresa M. Wizemann, and Marie C. McCormick, Editors, Immunization Safety Review Committee The preliminary unedited study is available on the web. The report, states the committee does not recommend a policy review of the recommended schedule on the basis of concerns about SIDS. Further, it states no demonstrated causal relationship was identified in this study.

Back to Sleep: Can We Influence Child Care Providers?
- The study results showed a total of 96 child care providers attended the educational in-service. Providers who were using the supine position exclusively increased from 44.8% to 78.1%. This change in behavior was sustained, with 85% of centers placing infants exclusively supine 6 months after the intervention.

Bed sharing and the Risk of SIDS
- Counseling Recommendations from the Association of SIDS and Infant Death Programs. This article contains recommendations for discussion points with parents who are considering bed sharing with their infants.