Compliance of Licensed Child Care Centers With the American Academy of Pediatrics' Recommendations for Infant Sleep Positions

Abstract

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is an elusive and tragic cause of infant mortality. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that healthy term infants be placed in the supine or lateral positions for sleep, based on research conducted in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The AAP modified its recommendation in 1994, indicating a preference for the supine position. Since the initial AAP proposal, national educational programs have worked to encourage parents and health care providers to utilize AAP guidelines. Studies have been done on parental use of the supine position. However, very little information exists about the procedures utilized in licensed child care facilities. A survey of child care providers was conducted to determine the risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, as indicated by rates of compliance with AAP guidelines. Results show that although the majority of the child care providers knew the AAPrecommendations, only 14.3% were in complete compliance. We make recommendations for the role of the public health nurse in facilitating compliance in child care centers along with suggestions for future research.