Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SID)

Are you a parent of a tiny, helpless, adorable baby? Do you worry that your baby will all of a sudden just quit breathing while he/she is sleeping? Well you should. Many people think that because their child is a certain race or ethnicity that they are safe from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). This is not the case, every child has a chance of dying from SUID, but it is true that some races have a higher possibility. This issue is one that every parent needs to be aware of and take the time to seek out education on. Many infants die because of SUID a year, whether that be from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), accidental strangulation in bed, or unknown causes, it happens more than people realize. In South Dakota, where there are nine federally recognized Native American tribes, reported by the Department of Health was 72% above the national average (South Dakota Department of Health (DOH), 2011, p.45). SIDS is by far the biggest concern of the three as it is the leading cause of death in children one to 12 months old. This public health issue affects anyone who is wanting to start a family but it is a grave concern for the Native American Population. SIDS can be a complicated idea for some people to grasp the idea that a baby just may not wake up from their afternoon nap. The Center for Disease Control(CDC) clarifies SIDS as “the unexpected and sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation is conducted, including a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and a review of the infant’s complete clinical history” (Center for Disease Control (CDC), 2014). The unexplained death is usually referred to as the “crib death” because most babies die while sleeping in their cribs, it is not caused by the crib itself but possibly the soft/loose bedding in the crib. All babies including seemingly healthy to respiratory infected babies are at risk for SIDS. In 2003 Native American infants were ranked second highest in SIDS deaths in the U.S. at 8.7 per 1000 live births (Alexander, Wingate &Boulet, 2008, p. 5). Maternal and child health in Native American population is a great concern when compared to other populations. Native American health began to increase after the implementation of the Indian Health Services (IHS) in 1955, but it is still well below the national average (Alexander, Wingate & Boulet, 2008, p. 5). There are a multitude of factors that put a baby at a higher risk for SIDS. Amongst the Native Population some of these factors include the geographical gaps, health disparities, absence of early prenatal care, and high smoking rates. After a woman gives birth to a baby she is required to watch specific videos before her and the …show more content…
SIDS is not a disease that can be pinpointed to an exact causation. Research has more commonly shown that infants that die from SIDS have brain abnormalities but scientists believe babies must have brain abnormalities, genetic polymorphisms, and genetic mutations, the triple-risk model, to die from SIDS (NIH, 2015). All three things must be present for the infant to experience the triple-risk model but this does not in any way guarantee that they will suffer from SIDS. In 2014, about 1,500 infants died from SIDS (CDC, 2014). There are about 4,000,000 births a year and the fact that 1,500 of them die with no explanation is why SIDS is a major public health issue for a majority of the …show more content…
The fact that SIDS happens so early in a child’s life gives greater pressure to parents of a newborn. Allow there are measures parents can take to try and prevent their child from dying from SIDS nothing is a sure factor. The unsolved reasons for SIDS is unexplainable, but research is surfacing every day. Currently the lack of resources offered to the Native American population is shown heavily by SIDS cases, but yet education to new mothers is slim and far between. This public health issue is one that could be further decreased if the right prevention was known by all. “No more shall there be an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime.” (Is: 65: