Our Mission
We are a statewide, non-profit,
volunteer health organization dedicated to providing emotional
support to SIDS families, educating professionals and the general
public about SIDS, and funding medical research into the causes of
SIDS. The Iowa SIDS
Foundation is an affiliate of
First Candle.
About SIDS
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and
unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant younger than one
year of age. SIDS is the unexpected death of an infant which
remains unexplained after all causes have been ruled out by an
autopsy, death scene investigation, and review of the medical
history. SIDS is known as a diagnosis of exclusion.
SIDS can happen to any family no matter what race they are,
how much money they make, or where they live.
SIDS is the major cause of death to babies from one
month to one year of age. Nearly 2,600 infants die of SIDS each
year in the U.S. alone. That is about one every three hours. Most SIDS deaths occur
when a baby is between 2 and 4 months old. SIDS occurs more often
in the winter and early spring months.
SIDS is not contagious or hereditary and is
not caused by parental neglect or abuse.
SIDS is not caused by suffocation, vomiting, or
choking and is not caused by immunizations.
At one time, SIDS was called Crib Death because these
babies usually die while they are sleeping. However, contrary to
that name, more often than not, these babies are not sleeping in a
crib when they die.
SIDS cannot be predicted, although, risks can be
reduced by putting babies to sleep on their back on a firm surface,
not smoking around babies, and not allowing babies to get
overheated. Click
here
for more information on how to
reduce the risk of SIDS.
to make a donation
You can now make a donation online to support our
mission:
or visit our donation page for
other options. |
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