Infant sleep position and risk for sudden infant death syndrome: Knowledge and practice of health professionals and care givers

This study was undertaken on physicians, nurses and mothers to assess their knowledge about infant sleep position and its relation to sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS], as well as to identify mothers' characteristics associated with infants being placed to sleep in the prone position. It was found that 20% of physicians and 23% of the nurses were not aware of SIDS compared to 86% of mothers. Physician's awareness was significantly related to their postgraduate degree, years of experience, specialty, and place of work. About 43% of physician and 36% of nurses mentioned that SIDS is not related to infant sleep position. A high proportion of physicians [71%] and nurses [70%] recognized prone position as the most sound to put infant for sleep. Moreover, 43% of physicians and 48% of nurses indicated that it is not important to discuss infant sleep position with the mothers. Physicians holding postgraduate degrees and those with long experience were significantly more aware of the sound sleep position. Slightly less than one-fourth of mothers [24%] put their infants prone to sleep. Such practice was significantly less encountered among mothers who had less education, lived in overcrowded houses and those who believed that prone position is dangerous. This study points out that professionals working with children need to expand their knowledge about SIDS and its relation to infant sleep position. The results of this study could be used to identify the direction of future efforts to encourage supine sleeping position