# Email NPR about SIDS story



## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

DH heard a story on NPR's Morning Edition this morning about SIDS, and he thought he heard them say that infant co-sleeping is a cause of SIDS. That really shocked me, since I haven't been able to find _any_ study that shows co-sleeping as a cause of SIDS. In fact, the book I'm reading now (Our Babies, Ourselves) talks about some studies proving co-sleeping as a way to prevent against SIDS!

Anyway, npr.org says they won't have the audio posted until 10:00 AM Eastern. Please listen after that and if indeed they're saying co-sleeping causes SIDS, send them an email and ask them to run a follow-up story or at least a correction! I know you mamas know a lot about this issue, and it sounds like NPR had a little case of lazy reporting.

If DH heard right, I'm also going to email the author of Our Babies, Ourselves if I can find her email address and alert her to the mistake and ask her to write in too.


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## wallacesmum (Jun 2, 2006)

Wow. This is so sad because so many people listen to this bull. Of course, it's the AAP so who's surprised. And every baby is the same, according to this. My understanding is that the statistical evidence shows the opposite. Does anyone know? Perhaps someone should look into SIDS numbers for vax and non-vax babies. Sigh.


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## dukeswalker (Feb 1, 2003)

They throw all cases of smothering while co-sleeping into that statistic - so it LOOKS like SIDS is indeed higher among co-sleepers- but we all know that smothering - IS NOT SIDS - and practicing safe cosleeping can prevent that....


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## melanie83103 (Jun 23, 2006)

Here's the link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=6415401


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## melanie83103 (Jun 23, 2006)

It's not actually today's story on SIDS that goes into bedsharing, it's a story from 10/10, which is also in the link I attached above. They say that they think it's a suffocation or overheating risk with bedsharing, but then go on to say that babies that share their parents bedroom do better (regarding SIDS). And they point out the benefits of sharing a bed or bedroom with baby - for breastfeeding, etc. So at least they point out some positive aspects. I just think it's a shame that they don't discuss the steps one can take to make bedsharing VERY safe....

Melanie


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Today's story says "Over the years, several environmental risks have been identified. Mothers who smoke or drink is one. And infant co-sleeping with parents is another."

I doubt the reporter did any actual research to corroborate that statement. Probably the one "expert" mentioned it and the reporter took it at face value. That's just bad reporting.

I'm going to email them right now and voice my concerns with a statement like that.


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

fyi, here is what I sent to NPR:

Quote:

I am writing about a comment Michelle Trudeau made in her story about SIDS this morning: "Over the years, several environmental risks have been identified. Mothers who smoke or drink is one. And infant co-sleeping with parents is another." If you look at the studies that have linked co-sleeping and SIDS, what you will find is that "SIDS" is given as a reason for death in cases where it was actually irresponsible co-sleeping that caused the death (such as when a parent is under the influence) or even child abuse. From my own research, co-sleeping has not been shown to cause SIDS. In fact, it has actually been shown to be a preventative measure against SIDS. Even healthy babies have apneas, and the breathing patterns of nearby adults can cause a baby to start breathing again after experiencing an apnea. I am by no means an expert in this, and I haven't done massive amounts of research. But I do think it's unfortunate that this story has reinforced a myth about a healthy, common practice around the world: co-sleeping. Even if you run a correction, the damage has been done. In the future, please try to corroborate expert claims with others who are knowledgeable about the subject. I think we will all benefit from a more well-rounded story in the end. In this case, I would recommend contacting Meredith F. Small, author of Our Babies, Ourselves. She is a commentator for All Things Considered, so hopefully she can give you more information about the studies in this area.
I also found Meredith Small's email address here and sent her the following email: http://falcon.arts.cornell.edu/anthro/faculty.php

Quote:

Hello Dr. Small -- I am currently reading your book Our Babies, Ourselves. I had just finished the chapter on sleep when this morning I caught this story on NPR's Morning Edition: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=6415401

The story bills co-sleeping as an environmental risk factor for SIDS. But after reading your book and doing some other limited research, that seemed to me like a misleading statement.

I am writing NPR to raise this issue, but I wanted to also contact you and ask that you please consider contacting them to share your knowledge of the subject.

Thank you in advance for your help, and thank you for your book!
Please consider dropping a line to NPR and/or Dr. Small if you have a couple minutes!


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## PiePie (Oct 2, 2006)

thanks for doing this work, *snozzberry*.


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## wallacesmum (Jun 2, 2006)

So are they saying SIDS when they really mean smothering? If so, that is totally dishonest, of course.


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## E.V. Lowi (Sep 16, 2005)

Does anyone have a link to the recent study out of New Zealand linking SIDS to offgassing/flame retardant in crib matresses. From what I understand, the study indicated that back sleeping reduced SIDS by 30% but wrapping the mattress with gas proof plastic reduced SIDS by 70%.


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## eallen (Oct 23, 2005)

http://www.healthychild.com/cribdeathcause.htm


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## Momtwice (Nov 21, 2001)

I have not heard the show, but please someone who has, also contact
James J. McKenna, at Notre Dame
http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/

pediatrician Dr. Jay Gordon, IBCLC too
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/index.asp

they both care about and defend the safety of cosleeping frequently.


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## E.V. Lowi (Sep 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eallen* 
http://www.healthychild.com/cribdeathcause.htm

Thanks!


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## QueenOfTheMeadow (Mar 25, 2005)

I'm so glad that I am not the only one who heard this. I was jumping up and down in the kitchen swearing at the radio! I have emailed this to a bunch of women I know that would be interested in emailing NPR as well. Thank you all for the information, and for being as upset about this as I am!!


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## kimbeloo (Jul 3, 2005)

These kinds of misleading statements make me crazy! I hope we can get them to straighten their story. Good work mama!


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Momtwice* 
I have not heard the show, but please someone who has, also contact
James J. McKenna, at Notre Dame
http://www.nd.edu/~jmckenn1/lab/

pediatrician Dr. Jay Gordon, IBCLC too
http://www.drjaygordon.com/development/index.asp

they both care about and defend the safety of cosleeping frequently.

If you want to hear it too, you can listen to the clip here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=6415401

Morning Edition does their listener comments segment on Thursdays, so I'm going to listen next Thursday to see if this comes up. (This morning was too soon since the show just aired Wednesday morning.) I'll let y'all know what I hear! Hopefully they'll say _something_ about it...


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## gwynthfair (Mar 17, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *E.V. Lowi* 
Does anyone have a link to the recent study out of New Zealand linking SIDS to offgassing/flame retardant in crib matresses. From what I understand, the study indicated that back sleeping reduced SIDS by 30% but wrapping the mattress with gas proof plastic reduced SIDS by 70%.

I couldn't find a link to this study, but if I recall correctly, not one SIDS case has occured on a properly wrapped mattress since the recommendation went out in New Zealand.

Here's an article: http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/children/sids.htm


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## EStreetMama (Sep 5, 2003)

Yup...bad deal...and here's a direct implication. I have a good friend with a 4 wk old baby. She's wonderful and dedicated to BF'ing. The baby is currently sleeping with them in a snuggle nest. She heard the story and was worried and seemed to be rethinking cosleeping since it was from a trusted source. I did my best to counter that, but I will need to get her some more resources as well.

I will write to NPR. Thanks for links.


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## pinky (Nov 21, 2001)

I contacted James McKenna and he was very encouraging..he hadn't heard about the story but was interested in getting more information and responding. I send the following dissertaion, I mean letter:

I am writing in reference to Michelle Treadeau's November 1st piece on new research related to SIDS. In this piece, she refers to infants sharing a bed with their parents as an identified environmental risk-factor for SIDS. While it is true that the American Academy of Pediatrics has suggested that parents avoid bedsharing due to increased risks of SIDS (AAP 2005) , that recommendation has been criticized by a number of clinicians and researchers (e.g. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine 2005; McKenna & McDade 2005). The research upon which these recommendations are based (e.g. Kemp et all 2000; Scheers et al 2003) fails to distinguish between different types of bedsharing conditions; therefore, the death of a baby who is smothered between couch cushions while sleeping with an intoxicated parent was placed in the same category as a voluntarily co-sleeping mother who has created a safe co-sleeping environment for her infant. When studies have distinguish between different co-sleeping conditions (Chen & Rogan 2004; Gessner et al. 2004), there is no increased risk of SIDS for breastfeeding infants in a safe bedsharing environment.

Bedsharing is a common practice both globally and in the United States, where as many as 78% of families bedshare at least part of the time (Lahr et al 2005). There are multiple examples of cultures with high bedsharing rates and low SIDS rates (e.g. Davies, 1985; Kibel et al 2000; Belarian et al 1989). In addition, a large global study found that compared with crib-sleeping cultures, those cultures with the highest co-sleeping rates either had the lowest SIDS rates of all, or did not even recognize SIDS as a phenomenon (Nelson et al, 2001).

Research simply does not support a universal condemnation of co-sleeping. Blair et al (1999) have pointed out the co-sleeping habits are variable enough that bedsharing cannot be considered a risk factor, but rather an environment in which particular risk factors occur. In addition, researchers have identified multiple benefits of co-sleeping for both mother and baby, including reduced incidence of reported sleep problems (Elias et al 1986; McKenna 2000); reduced crying (Ball 2003); increased sleep for mother and baby (Quillin & Glenn 2004); increased frequency and duration of breastfeeding (McKenna et al 1997; McCoy et al 2004







. Perhaps more importantly in terms of this article, there is also significant and compelling evidence that mother-infant co-sleeping alters the physiology of both mother and baby in ways that are actually protective against SIDS (e.g. Richard et al 1998; Richard et al 2004; Mosko et al 1996, 1997a, 1997b, 1997c).

I count on NPR to be a voice of reason in a crazy world. The rhetoric surrounding co-sleeping is filled with cultural biases and opinions about parenting rather than much actual research. It was disappointing to hear this commonly held-but inaccurate-information reported as fact on such a trusted news source. It was even more distressing to hear of an acquaintance who is now questioning her choice to co-sleep with her infant based on what she heard on your program. I'm sure she's not the only one.

I hope you will not only clarify the facts regarding SIDS and co-sleeping, but consider reporting on this issue in more detail. A great place to start is the research of Dr. James McKenna at the Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Lab at Notre Dame, where they study mother-infant pairs sleeping together and apart. (<<htpp://www.nd.edu/jmckenn1/lab>>)

Thank you for your consideration...

References:
Academy of Breastfeedeing Medicine. 2005. Breastfeeding is associated with a lower risk of SIDS. <http://www.breastfeedingtaskforce.org/SIDS/AAP-SIDS-ABM-response.htm>
American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 2005. The changing concept of sudden infant death syndrome: diagnostic coding shifts, controversies regarding sleeping environment, and new variables to consider in reducing risk. Pediatrics 116:e530-42.
Balarajan R, Raleigh V, Botting B. 1989. Sudden infant death syndrom and postneonatal mortality in immigrants in England and Wales. BMJ 298:716-20.
Ball HL. 2003. Breastfeeding, bedsharing, and infant sleep. Birth 30:181-88.
Blair PS, Fleming PJ, Smith IJ et al. 1999. Babies sleeping with parents: case-control studies of factors influencing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. CESDI SUDI research group. BMJ 319:1457-62.
Chen A, Rogan W. 2004. Breastfeeding and the risk of post-neonatal death in the United States. Pediatrics 113:E435-E439.
Davies DP. 1985. Cot death in Hong Kong: a rare problem? Lancet 2:1346-8.
Elias MF, Nicolson NA, Bora C, Johnston J. 1986. Sleep/wake patterns of breast-fed infants in the first 2 years of life. Pediatrics 77(3):322-9.
Gessner BD, Ives GC, Perham-Hester KA. 2001. Association between sudden infant death syndrome and prone sleeping position, bed sharing, and sleeping outside an infant crib in Alaska. Pediatrics 108:923-7.
Kemp J, Unger B, Wilkins D et al. 2000. Unsafe sleep practices and an analysis of bed sharing among infants dying suddenly and unexpectedly: results of a four year, population-based death-scene investigations study of sudden infant death syndrome and related deaths. Pediatrics 106:e41.
Kibel MA, Davies MF. 2000. Should the infant sleep in mother's bed? In Sixth SIDS International Meeting, Aukland, New Zealand, February 8-11, 2000.
Lahr BM, Rosenberg KS, Lapidus JA. 2005. Bedsharing and maternal smoking in a population-based survey of new mothers. Pediatrics 116: e530-42.
McCoy RC, Hunt CL, Lesko SM. 2004. Frequency of bed sharing and its relationship to breast feeding. Devel Behav Pediatrics 25:141-9.
McKenna JJ. 2000. Cultural influences on infant and childhood sleep biology and the science that studies it: toward a more inclusive paradigm. In Loughlin J, Carroll J, Marcus C, Eds, Sleep in Development and Pediatrics, New York: Marcel Dekker, pp. 199-230.
McKenna JJ, Mosko SS, Richard CA. 1997. Bedsharing promotes breastfeeding. Pediatrics 100(2):214-9.
McKenna JJ, McDade T. 2005. Why babies should never sleep alone: a review of the co-sleeping controversy in relation to SIDS, bedsharing and breast feeding. Paediatr Respir Rev 6(2):134-52.
Mosko S, Richard C, McKenna JJ. 1997a. Infant arousals during mother-infant bed sharing: implications for infant sleep and sudden infant death syndrome research. Pediatrics 100:841-9.
Mosko S, Richard C, McKenna JJ. 1997b. Maternal sleep and arousals during bedsharing with infants. Sleep 20:142-50.
Mosko S, Richard C, McKenna JJ, Drummond S. 1996. Infant sleep architecture during bedsharing and possible implications for SIDS. Sleep 19:677-684.
Mosko S, Richard C, McKenna JJ, Drummond S, Mukai D. 1997c. Maternal proximity and infant CO2 environment during bedsharing and possible implications for SIDS research. Am J Phys Anthropol 103(3) 315-28.
Nelson E, Taylor B, Jenik A et al. 2001. International child care practices study: infant sleeping environment. Early Hum Devel 62:43-55.
Richard C, Mosko SS. 2004. Mother-infant bedsharing is associated with an increase in infant heart rate. Sleep 27:507-11.
Richard C, Mosko SS, McKenna JJ. 1998. Apnea and periodic breathing in bed-sharing and solitary sleeping infants. J Applied Phys 84:1374-80.
Scheers NJ, Rutherford GW, Kemp JS. 2003. Where should infants sleep? A comparison of risk for suffocation of infants sleeping in cribs, adult beds, and other sleeping location. Pediatrics 112:883-9.


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## nancy926 (Mar 10, 2003)

Wow- great work!

Seems like a lot of studies lump responsible cosleeping with some other behaviors, such as cosleeping on a couch. Then they use their results to say that ALL cosleeping is dangerous.

Perhaps they are receiving money from the CPSC or a crib manufacturer.

Anyway, there was a recent study (10/31) that found a genetic link to SIDS. Hopefully that will quiet some of the anti-cosleeping folk.

Here's the link.


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## pinky (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *nancy926* 
Anyway, there was a recent study (10/31) that found a genetic link to SIDS. Hopefully that will quiet some of the anti-cosleeping folk.

This NPR story was about the same study, but specifically talked about non-genetic, environmental risk factors, including smoking, putting baby to sleep on their stomach and







: sleeping with a parent.


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## snozzberry (Jul 29, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *pinky* 
I contacted James McKenna and he was very encouraging..he hadn't heard about the story but was interested in getting more information and responding. I send the following dissertaion, I mean letter:

Wow, that was *AWESOME*!!! Kudos to you, mama, for taking the time to craft a thoughtful, researched response!







I don't see how they can ignore that!


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## crazy_eights (Nov 22, 2001)

US News and World Report is running an article about the new research and the researchers attribute co-sleeping to SIDS. It is sort of a circular reasoning though. 77% of babies that succomb to SIDS in their study were sleeping 'prone or co-sleeping or both'. No breakdown though. And yes, suffocation is NOT SIDS.

Pinky - maybe send a copy of your letter to US News too?


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## pinky (Nov 21, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mom2seven* 
US News and World Report is running an article about the new research and the researchers attribute co-sleeping to SIDS. It is sort of a circular reasoning though. 77% of babies that succomb to SIDS in their study were sleeping 'prone or co-sleeping or both'. No breakdown though. And yes, suffocation is NOT SIDS.

Pinky - maybe send a copy of your letter to US News too?









Thanks for the heads up! I just slightly edited my letter and sent it off to them.


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