Abstract â–¡ 154

Objective: To determine, in a population of SIDS victims, the incidence of prone sleeping, and the incidence of a change to prone sleeping in infants who were originally non-prone sleepers.

Methods: We reviewed data gathered 1991 and 1996. The data came from a questionnaire administered to parents and caregivers of SIDS victims throughout the province of Quebec. Questions dealt with each infant's health, sleeping habits, and circumstances of death. More precisely, the questions sought to determine the usual sleeping position, any change in position before death, when the change occurred, who initiated the change, and for what reason. Similar information was gathered from a group of healthy infants.

Results: We obtained complete data for 143 SIDS victims. Prone sleeping was the most prevalent position in our SIDS population. Only 55 infants (38%) usually slept in a non-prone position. The parents or other caregivers introduced the prone position after the first few months mostly because of sleeping difficulties. Of the 55 infants usually sleeping non-prone, 33 (60%) had been changed recently to prone prior to their death. The change was very recent (first time to only a few days) for 21 SIDS victims. In half the cases, a secondary caregiver had precipitated the change. In contrast, in the group of healthy infants (n = 436), only 5 of the 353 non-prone sleepers (1.4%) were recently changed to prone before the interview.

Conclusions: Inexperienced prone sleeping represents a significant risk factor for SIDS. Ongoing campaigns to decrease the risk of SIDS should therefore emphasise that the supine position be used for the whole SIDS risk period. It is important that secondary caregivers be informed of this recommendation as well.