Researchers from the University of Bristol, UK, developed a new web-based baby sleeper tool to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), according to a study published in the scientific journal JMIR Paediatrics and Parenting.
Although SIDS (also knwon sudden unexpected death in infancy, SUDI) as is rare — estimated one death in 3,000 to 4,000 births — the authors believe this new tool could be used to help reduce unexplained baby deaths. The sleep planner provides a risk assessment for each baby at birth and a downloadable sleep plan for the family.
Rates of SIDS have been decreasing since the 90s, but low-income families continue to experience a disproportionately higher rate. Last year, Bristol’s National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) recorded 42% of cases occurring in deprived neighbourhoods, compared with 8% in the least deprived.
The prototype tool was tested by 22 healthcare professionals, including midwives, nurses, and health visitors. These care providers reported that the tool allowed at-risk families to be identified and offered more support and resources. The testers also suggested expanding the tool to cover pregnancy and be available in different languages. After this initial test, the authors used the tool with 58 families. Families were very positive about the sleep planner and found the information useful for them and other family members. The next stage in the study will involve a large-scale trial with more families. If successful, the authors hope this tool will be roled out to all families.
“Our web-based tool identifies babies who may be at increased risk of SUDI. This risk assessment can be done at birth to help health professionals know who to focus on with more safer sleep support. The tool also empowers families to understand their baby’s needs and make a plan to keep them safe, which can be downloaded and shared with friends and family,” said Dr Anna Pease, Research Fellow in the Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS). “Our study found health professionals and family members thought the tool was useful. Health professionals said it helped them to have better conversations about safer sleep and families said it helped them to understand why safer sleep was important and how it could keep their babies safe.”
“We know the ‘safer sleep’ campaigns have saved the lives of thousands of babies. Although SIDS is rare, we know that many babies who have died in recent years have at least one known risk present in the sleep environment and that most of the babies who die are born into families experiencing the effects of poverty,” added Peter Blair, Professor of Epidemiology and Statistics in Bristol Medical School: (PHS). “We wanted to develop a web-based tool to help families follow safer sleep advice, especially for those families with babies at increased risk. We hope our baby sleep planner tool can support families with babies at risk and help save lives.”
Pease A, Ingram J, Lambert B, Patrick K,Pitts K, Fleming PJ, Blair PS, A Risk Assessment and Planning Tool to Prevent Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy: Development and Evaluation of The Baby Sleep Planner, JMIR Pediatr Parent 2024;7:e49952, doi: 10.2196/49952