Protecting Infants in Our Care from SIDS

What Can Child Care Providers Do?

Educate families. By educating families and program staff, and by openly discussing SIDS prevention (along with other important health topics), providers have an important role in SIDS prevention. Such efforts can reduce the risk of SIDS among the infants in care during child care program hours and can also influence the health and safety of children at home. Most parents consider child care providers to be trustworthy experts in children’s health, development and safety. Share your experience and expertise freely with parents. Include the importance of SIDS prevention in your health policies and share resources.

Create and enforce program policies, which reduce risk. Program policies should reinforce the principles of SIDS prevention. Program staff must be trained in these principles and compliance with policies should be closely monitored. Such policies include:

• Back to Sleep Policy. Make it an absolute rule that all infants in your care must be placed on their backs for sleeping (unless the child has a note from health care provider specifying otherwise). Hang “Back to Sleep” posters on the wall in the nap area to promote the policy. Train all staff in the importance of this rule and monitor nap time to be sure it is followed. Discuss the Back to Sleep Policy with the parents of infants during the enrollment process.
• No Smoking where children are present. California’s Community Care Licensing regulations specify that “smoking is prohibited on the premises” of all licensed child care facilities, including both child care centers and family child care homes. All children must be protected from the effects of second hand smoke, which can include increased risk of SIDS as well as increased risk of respiratory illnesses or symptoms.
• Keep cribs free of plush items. Place infants on smooth, firm bedding at nap time. Don’t place stuffed toys, pillows, comforters or quilts in their cribs. Cover sleeping infants loosely with light blankets only.
• Ambient temperature policy. To avoid over-heating infants, dress them in comfortable clothes; don’t bundle them up in too many warm layers. Keep infants’ sleeping area at a comfortable ambient temperature, not too hot. The National Standards recommend maintaining the indoor temperature between 65° and 75° in winter and between 68° and 82° in summer inside child care facilities (AAP, 2002). Assess children’s warmth and need for more or less layers of clothes or coverings by feeling their fingers, toes, and nose (the baby should be should be feel warm but should not be perspiring or panting at rest).

For assistance in creating health policies in your program which address SIDS prevention and for resources to use in educating families and staff, call the Child Care Healthline at 800-333-3212.

References and Resources

AAP, APHA & MCHB (2002). Caring for our children: National health and safety performance standards: Guidelines for out-of-home child care programs. Online at http://nrc.uchsc.edu/CFOC/index.html.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SIDS Information Index at www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/SIDS/index.htm.

AAP Task Force on Sudden Infnt Death Syndrome (2005). Policy Statement online at www.aap.org

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Fact sheet: Sudden infant death syndrome. Accessed online at www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/sidsfact.htm.