SIDS stands for "sudden infant death syndrome." This term describes the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than 1.
Some people call SIDS "crib death" because many babies who die of SIDS are found in their cribs. But, cribs do not cause SIDS. Even though the cause of SIDS remains unknown, scientific efforts have eliminated various misleading theories.
In the belief that every child should live, North Dakota enacted legislation in 1977 that prompted the development of the North Dakota SIDS Management Program. Operated through the North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Injury & Violence Prevention, the SIDS Management Program provides the following services:
- A system of reporting suspected SIDS cases to the ND Department of Health
- Support and counseling to families of SIDS victims
- Distribution of SIDS information to health-care providers and the public
- What is SIDS?
- Reducing the Risk of SIDS - Resources
- Back To Sleep Campaign Website
- Grief and Bereavement Information
- SIDS Continuing Education for Nurses
- Cribs for Kids
- Star Legacy Foundation - Resources for families who experience a stillbirth or pregnancy loss.
- Safe Sleep Materials Order Form
- North Dakota Materials
- North Dakota Breastfeeding Website
- NDQuits
For more information, contact:
injury@nd.gov or 701-328-4536
MCH Mini-Grant Grantees
Publications
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Facts and Feelings
- Helping Children Cope with Grief
- Helping Children Grieve
- Protecting Our Babies From Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- SAFE SLEEP for Babies - A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
- What Does a Safe Sleep Environment Look Like?