Question

The nurse is discussing child care strategies with a mother of a newborn. The mother asks the nurse, "What causes SIDS?" Which of the following responses is most likely to answer the mother's question therapeutically?

A. "SIDS is a common fear for new mothers. The best advice is to put your baby to sleep on her back."
B. "We aren't sure exactly, but it may have something to do with undetected cardiac or oxygen problems."
C. "Research is inconclusive, but it's thought to be a result of a nervous system problem that occurs when the baby is asleep."
D. "Your pediatrician wants you to put your baby to sleep on her back because research has shown that more stomach sleepers are victims."

Answer 1

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is an unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant, usually during sleep. While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, researchers suspect that immaturity or abnormality of the brain may be involved. Placing infants on their backs to sleep, avoiding suffocation threats in cribs, and preventing exposure to secondhand smoke can help reduce the risk of SIDS.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is an unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant, usually during sleep. While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, researchers suspect that immaturity or abnormality of the part of the brain that controls arousal from sleep and breathing may play a role. Factors that increase the risk of SIDS include placing the infant on its stomach, exposure to secondhand smoke, premature birth, and low birth weight.

Research suggests that infants should be placed on their backs when put down to sleep, and their cribs should not contain any items that pose suffocation threats, such as blankets, pillows, or padded crib bumpers. Infants should not have caps placed on their heads when put down to sleep to prevent overheating, and smoking in the home should be avoided. Following these recommendations can help reduce the risk of SIDS.