Abstract
In december 1991 the National Board of Health changed the official recommendations concerning sleeping position - and from this date recommended that all newborn children should be placed in back or side position while sleeping. From epidemiologic studies the prone sleeping position was associated with a risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). An evaluation of the changed recommendations was carried out in 1993. Before the new recommendations about 50-60% of all children at age 4 month were sleeping in the prone position, but in 1993 only 10% of the 4 month old children were placed in the prone sleeping position.
In the table the change in incidence of sudden infant death syndrome is shown. There has been a decrease in incidence from 1,8/1000 newborn to 0,6/1000 newborn (67%). These data confirm that the prone sleeping position is a major risk factor for SIDS and that the health system in Denmark is able to change and implement new recommendations very fast. We recommend all health autorities to follow the Danish example.
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Iversen, L., Møller, L. 348 Sudden infant death syndrome – a marked decrease in incidence by changing the prone sleeping position. Pediatr Res 36, 60 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00348
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199407000-00348