Heavens Angels Newsletter September 2001 Edition
In just a few short days from now my 2nd child Ayden will turn 2 yrs old. He passed away from SIDS on February 11th, 2000. It always seems as if your getting better, feeling *normal* again but then an anniversary, a birthday or a special holiday will come up and you realize once again just how much you've missed, how bad that ache *truly* is. Is there ever really a true recovery? Do you ever go back to being a normal family again? These are questions I ask myself almost on a daily basis. No matter how normal my life seems on the outside there is a constant ache, that knot in the stomache that doesnt go away. Some days I get through without a hitch, others I just feel like throwing in the towel. Where does it end and when? Grief is so unpredictable and it comes in so many forms its sometimes hard to pinpoint. It changes you as a whole person. I sometimes miss the days of ignorance, miss the innocence of never knowing a deep loss, I miss my family being whole. I've learned so much since the loss of my son, i've grown so much and appreciate life in such a different way. I thank god for the time we were given with Ayden and although to me it wasnt enough, I take it for what it was......Amazing.
Breanne Gibson
MEDIA ADVISORY
July 12th, 2001
NEW CPSC CAMPAIGN REINFORCES NEED FOR SAFE INFANT SLEEP ENVIRONMENT
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) released a report today on deaths in playpens. Since l988 CPSC has reports of more than 200 babies who died while in playpens. In almost 100 of these deaths, soft bedding or improper or extra mattresses were present in the playpen. More than 70 percent of these deaths were to babies less than 12 months old. Twenty-six of the playpen deaths occurred in a daycare setting.
Over the years, playpens, portable cribs and play yards have evolved into virtually identical products. Parents use playpens today as places for babies to both sleep and play. These findings emphasize the need for caregivers to be aware that the same safe sleeping guidelines that they follow for their babies' cribs should be followed in these playpens. That means placing baby on his back on a firm, flat mattress and not adding extra mattresses or any soft bedding, such as pillows, quilts, or comforters. This can help reduce the risk of SIDS and prevent suffocation.
To educate caregivers, CPSC and Mattel, Inc. are launching a "Sleep Safe, Play Safe" campaign to address the two greatest hazards revealed by the study: 1) adding soft bedding and 2) adding extra mattresses or cushions. The campaign includes a Public Service Announcement that will be distributed to 3,400 radio stations nationwide. CPSC will reach out to practicing pediatricians and organizations that are influential in educating parents about ways to keep their infants healthy and safe. Mattel will send more than a million posters and brochures to practicing pediatricians across the country and to organizations who work with or serve parents and childcare providers.
Other hazards identified in the study were playpens that were in poor condition, had broken or protruding hardware or had side rails that collapsed, creating an entrapment hazard. Information on the CPSC study and tips for parents and caregivers on ways to prevent deaths or injuries to children in playpens can be found at www.cpsc.gov.
The SIDS Alliance would like to take this opportunity to once again emphasize the importance of the risk reduction recommendations in providing parents and caregivers with the latest medical evidence on reducing the risk of SIDS in the hope of giving every baby the best possible chance to thrive. We remind parents and other caregivers to:
Place your baby on the back to sleep at night and naptime.
Use a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib or bassinet.
Eliminate fluffy, loose bedding from your baby's sleep area.
Keep your baby's face clear of coverings.
Be careful not to overheat your baby.
Don't allow anyone to smoke around your baby.
Educate babysitters, day care providers, grandparents and everyone who cares for your baby about SIDS risk.
Although we do not yet know exactly how or why SIDS happens, researchers continue to identify deficits, behaviors, and other factors that may put an infant at higher risk. It is important to remember that risk factors are not causes of SIDS, but are believed to make an infant more vulnerable and increase the possibility of death. SIDS, like other medical disorders, may eventually have more than one explanation and more than one means of prevention. Multiple and different risk factors may play a role in a particular infant's death. At the same time, many SIDS victims have no known risk factors; and most babies with one or more risk factors will survive. Research must continue if we are to discover what causes SIDS, and expand upon opportunities to reduce SIDS risk.
The SIDS Alliance is a national, not-for-profit, voluntary health organization dedicated to the support of SIDS families, public education, and medical research. For the latest, quality-assured information about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and ways to reduce SIDS risk, call the SIDS Alliance toll-free at 1 (800) 221-SIDS (7437) or visit the SIDS Alliance Online at www.sidsalliance.org.
HELPFUL WEBSITES AND CONTACTS
National SIDS Alliance
800-221-SIDS
BTS Campaign
800-505-CRIB
NY state regional SIDS centers
800-336-SIDS
SIDS Network
800-560-1454 |
