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History of Safe Infant Sleep Foundation:
The Foundation was formed in October, 2013, out of a desire to find a solution to the on-going tragedy of Sudden and Unexpected Infant Death. The foundation received its 501c3 tax exemption status in July 2014, and was developing plans for conducting research projects for the prevention of Sudden and Unexpected Infant Death. The foundation became inactive in 2020 during Covid The goal was to fund research projects through donations and grants, to provide information and resources to parents, and to eventually help find a solution which will prevent most of these deaths.
Our Mission:
The mission of the Safe Infant Sleep Foundation is to determine how to prevent unexpected deaths of infants while they are sleeping. A review of past studies on infant deaths and an investigation of current technology will be used to make the determination. Particular attention will be given to infant monitoring used in past studies, and to the monitoring technology available today. When appropriate, new studies will be proposed to test predicted solutions. Results of research and investigations will be provided to the public at no change.
Background on SIDS and SUID Research:
Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) discourage cardiorespiratory monitoring infants for the prevention of SIDS. Their recommendations are based on studies performed in the 1980’s and 1990’s which did not use the monitoring technology available today.
In the early 1990’s, the “Safe to Sleep” program (previously know as the "Back to Sleep" program) was introduced to reduce the rate of “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” (SIDS) deaths. The program provided recommendations for a safe sleeping environment and for sleep position for infants to minimize the risk of SIDS. After the program was initiated, there was an initial reduction of SIDS from about 100 deaths per 100,000 to 50 deaths per 100,000. However, in the last 20 years, the combined rate of SIDS and “Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths” (SUIDs) has remained almost constant, with more than 3500 infants dying in their sleep each year in the US.
There has been significant research conducted in the last 20 years, with identification of many risk factors that influence SIDS susceptibility, but there has been no determination on how to prevent the deaths with this additional knowledge. Many of the studies show a strong relationship to low Oxygen Saturation in the Blood (SpO2) in infants who experience Apparent Life Threatening Events (ALTEs). It has also been observed during autopsy that many infants who died of SIDS showed indication of low blood Oxygen levels prior to death. It is likely that in most cases, death is caused by lack of oxygen in the blood, due to a combination of factors, which vary from case to case. It also seems likely that monitoring blood oxygen saturation could provide an early warning of an ALTE in time to intervene and prevent death.
The monitoring of blood oxygen saturation was not commonly performed during the studies done in the 1980’s, from which the recommendation to not monitor infants for the prevention of SIDS was initiated. Subsequent studies, starting with the CHIME study in the 1990’s, found significant correlation between low oxygen saturation and “Extreme Events.”
The results of past studies have failed to prove whether or not monitoring of infants could effectively prevent these deaths. Many of the studies have recommended that further research should be performed to determine the effectiveness on infant monitoring. However, in the 20 years since the completion of the CHIME study, no study has been performed to determine if infant monitoring, and in particular, blood oxygen monitoring, can prevent many or most of the SIDS and SUID deaths. Therefore, the answer to this question has not been determined.
Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) discourage cardiorespiratory monitoring infants for the prevention of SIDS. Their recommendations are based on studies performed in the 1980’s and 1990’s which did not use the monitoring technology available today.
In the early 1990’s, the “Safe to Sleep” program (previously know as the "Back to Sleep" program) was introduced to reduce the rate of “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” (SIDS) deaths. The program provided recommendations for a safe sleeping environment and for sleep position for infants to minimize the risk of SIDS. After the program was initiated, there was an initial reduction of SIDS from about 100 deaths per 100,000 to 50 deaths per 100,000. However, in the last 20 years, the combined rate of SIDS and “Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths” (SUIDs) has remained almost constant, with more than 3500 infants dying in their sleep each year in the US.
There has been significant research conducted in the last 20 years, with identification of many risk factors that influence SIDS susceptibility, but there has been no determination on how to prevent the deaths with this additional knowledge. Many of the studies show a strong relationship to low Oxygen Saturation in the Blood (SpO2) in infants who experience Apparent Life Threatening Events (ALTEs). It has also been observed during autopsy that many infants who died of SIDS showed indication of low blood Oxygen levels prior to death. It is likely that in most cases, death is caused by lack of oxygen in the blood, due to a combination of factors, which vary from case to case. It also seems likely that monitoring blood oxygen saturation could provide an early warning of an ALTE in time to intervene and prevent death.
The monitoring of blood oxygen saturation was not commonly performed during the studies done in the 1980’s, from which the recommendation to not monitor infants for the prevention of SIDS was initiated. Subsequent studies, starting with the CHIME study in the 1990’s, found significant correlation between low oxygen saturation and “Extreme Events.”
The results of past studies have failed to prove whether or not monitoring of infants could effectively prevent these deaths. Many of the studies have recommended that further research should be performed to determine the effectiveness on infant monitoring. However, in the 20 years since the completion of the CHIME study, no study has been performed to determine if infant monitoring, and in particular, blood oxygen monitoring, can prevent many or most of the SIDS and SUID deaths. Therefore, the answer to this question has not been determined.
What We Hope to Accomplish:
The Safe Infant Sleep Foundation intends to make recommendations on infant monitoring based on research of past studies. The Safe Infant Sleep Foundation intends to promote a new study on infant monitoring using the latest monitoring technolgy for monitoring oxygen saturation and other vital parameters. The goal of this study will be to determine with certainty whether or not monitoring of infants in the home is effective in reducing the number of SIDS and SUID deaths.
The Safe Infant Sleep Foundation intends to make recommendations on infant monitoring based on research of past studies. The Safe Infant Sleep Foundation intends to promote a new study on infant monitoring using the latest monitoring technolgy for monitoring oxygen saturation and other vital parameters. The goal of this study will be to determine with certainty whether or not monitoring of infants in the home is effective in reducing the number of SIDS and SUID deaths.