TAMC staff work to make a difference in SIDS locally
PRESQUE ISLE — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the third leading cause of infant mortality in the United States, and the leading cause of death in infants between 1 month and 1 year of age. Staff in TAMC’s Women and Children’s Health Department are hoping to lower those numbers locally through both education and a gift that new parents can put to use at home.
Contributed photo
NEWBORN BABY Brody Lee Spittle is nestled in a wearable blanket presented to all new moms and babies by TAMC staff before they head home from the hospital. The sleep blanket plays a dual role of keeping the baby warm while staying snugly in place for increased sleep safety. Looking over Brody are his mother, Rachel Donnelly, right, of Fort Fairfield and Christine Turner, RN from TAMC’s Women and Children’s Unit. 
TAMC presents each new infant born at the hospital with a special safety blanket. The American Academy of Pediatrics, First Candle/SIDS Alliance and the Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Death all suggest the use of a wearable blanket instead of a loose blanket to help keep a baby warm. Loose blankets in the crib pose a significant risk to the baby as they can cover a baby’s face and interfere with breathing.
“One of the things we tell our parents during discharge teaching is to use sleep clothing or wearable blankets rather than regular blankets,” said Pam Lilley, RN, BSN manager of TAMC’s Women and Children’s Health Department. “Our staff feels strongly that providing each new family with their own SleepSack® is an important service.”
In addition to its role in sleep safety, these wearable blankets, embroidered with the TAMC logo, serve as a commemorative gift from the hospital staff that helped to deliver and care for the infants in their first days of life.
Discharge teaching also covers a number of items to help reduce the risk of SIDS, such as maintaining a smoke-free environment, using a firm mattress with tightly-fitted sheets, and keeping the crib free of stuffed animals, toys and soft objects. One key message in the teaching is placing infants on their backs to sleep.
“Many staff members work on the Women and Children’s Department because the enjoy teaching,” said Lilley. “They feel that they play an important role in keeping the babies in the community safe; not only in the hospital, but also at home.”
Nationally, millions of caregivers have been educated about ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death. Since the campaign began in 1994, SIDS rates in the U.S. have dropped nearly 50 percent, both overall and within various racial/ethnic groups.
This may be due to the fact that by having an infant sleep on his or her back, it helps to maintain the airway and limits re-breathing of carbon dioxide. Side sleeping is better than stomach sleeping, but still twice the risk of back sleeping.
“Our goal is to keep all of the infants born at TAMC safe and healthy,” said Lilley. “While SIDS is not predictable or completely preventable, we can help reduce the risk. We can make a difference.”
