In the first investigative project of its kind, Scripps Howard News service has conducted a seven-month national reporting project called Saving Babies: Exposing Sudden Infant Death in America. The project will begin appearing in Scripps newspapers and television stations around the country, and can be accessed online through www.savingbabies.net beginning October 7, 2007. The reviewers conclude that geography, not medical science, usually determines whether a deceased baby will be declared to be the victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or some other cause like accidental asphyxiation from improper bedding or from co-sleeping with adults. The reviewers report that some of the more than 4,000 victims of sudden infant death each year could be saved if there was a simple national standard for infant death investigations. Programs at the national and state level aimed at improving the consistency and thoroughness of infant death investigations in recent years have been slow to take hold and are often poorly funded, voluntary efforts. Some coroners and medical examiners have abandoned efforts to pinpoint a diagnosis, opting for a meaningless declaration of “death by unknown causes.” There is concern that a growing number of parents are caught in the middle, left without clear explanations for why their baby died and wondering if the death of their baby could have been avoided. According to First Candle Executive Director Deb Boyd, the apparent shift in diagnosis’ from SIDS to other causes of infant death has long been a concern of the organization and experts in the field. “We applaud the efforts of the Scripps Howard team in pulling together this in-depth study and opening the door for increased efforts in advocating for the mandatory use of standardized protocols for autopsies and death scene investigations, and consistency in the reporting of this data, for all sudden infant deaths.” The in-depth, interactive web site includes records of 20,000 infants who died during the five-year period from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2004, as well as general articles and personal stories related to sudden, infant deaths. Readers can use the site to see how infant deaths in their community are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and compare those results to other communities and states. “We encourage our constituency to visit the site and provide feedback, both to Scripps Howard and First Candle,” says Laura Reno, Vice President of Public Affairs. In the coming weeks, First Candle will launch a national advocacy campaign to bring this important issue to the forefront of political agendas at the local, state and national levels. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive information related to this effort click here. Reno can be reached for questions or comment at 800-221-7437 or laura.reno@firstcandle.org
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