ABSTRACT
Sleep-related infant deaths, now called sudden unexpected infant deaths, are not declining, and the United States continues to have greater rates than most other developed nations. Health disparities are significant, with death rates greater in certain vulnerable groups, including non-Hispanic Black infants. Nurses play a crucial role in educating, role-modeling, and problem-solving with parents. Thus, it is critical for nurses to stay current with the science, prevention recommendations, and societal decisions and debates surrounding this topic. This article provides a summary of the updated safe sleep recommendations released by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2022 as well as discussions on current trends, thoughts, and controversies related to how safe sleep education is provided to parents.
Subject(s)
Sudden Infant Death , Infant , Humans , United States , Child , Sudden Infant Death/prevention & control , Prone Position , Parents , SleepABSTRACT
Every day, 10 otherwise healthy infants die from sleep-related deaths in the United States. These deaths, termed sudden unexpected infant death, remain the leading cause of post-neonatal death in the United States despite known modifiable risk factors and prevention recommendations. In birthing hospitals, many parents report being given incorrect and sometimes no information about infant sleep safety, which creates immediate and long-term safety concerns. In this article, we provide an overview of sudden unexpected infant death, including sudden unexpected postnatal collapse, and the latest safe sleep recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. We also offer practical guidelines for nurses-those working at the bedside and those in leadership positions-who may be seeking to improve the quality of infant sleep practices in their organizations.
Subject(s)
Brugada Syndrome/prevention & control , Patient Education as Topic/methods , Brugada Syndrome/nursing , Guidelines as Topic , Humans , Infant , Infant Mortality , Risk Factors , United StatesABSTRACT
In October 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics published updated guidelines for safe infant sleep. Although there are no major changes to the recommendations, there are many small additions and clarifications important to the work of nurses. Topics addressed in this article include breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, swaddling, room-sharing, bed-sharing, new products, pacifiers, loose bedding, and sitting devices. It is important for nurses and other clinicians to model recommended behaviors with regard to safe infant sleep and to have conversations with parents and caregivers about safe infant sleep throughout the hospital stay.
