New joint statement on SIDS and safe sleep

Despite a marked decline in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) since the 1990s, current evidence demonstrates that SIDS remains a major public health concern and that unsafe sleeping environments also play a role in sudden infant deaths.

The new Joint Statement on Safe Sleep: Preventing Sudden Infant Deaths in Canada, launched in June, is part of a national health promotion strategy aimed at preventing SIDS and unsafe sleeping practices. The statement was developed in collaboration with Canadian and American experts on safe sleep, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society, the Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, and the Canadian Institute of Child Heath.

The statement presents the most current evidence-based information on SIDS and expands the scope of the original “back to sleep” statement to include safe sleeping environments. It underscores five key principles of safe sleep:

• Infants placed on their back for every sleep have a reduced risk of SIDS.

• Preventing exposure to tobacco smoke, before and after birth, reduces the risk of SIDS.

• The safest place for an infant to sleep is in a crib, cradle or bassinet that meets current Canadian regulations.

• Infants who share a room with a parent or caregiver have a lower risk of SIDS.

• Breastfeeding provides a protective effect against SIDS.