As nurses, we need to remember that the family of a SIDS baby is also victimized by this tragic phenomenon. Parents need enormous courage to face the unknown again and risk having another child. Siblings of the baby who died must endure family and societal stresses that children in other families don't. That means treating a SIDS parent with the same compassion and understanding we extend to parents whose children died of a more understandable cause, such as cancer or an automobile accident. A life is no small thing, no matter how short, and the death of a baby is no less painful than the death of an older child.
All parents have big hopes and dreams for their children.
That most SIDS parents continue to move forward with their lives in the face of this great mystery reminds us of the potential for courage and heroism in all of us. Donate directly to the SIDS Network securely with a major credit card . All rights reserved. Permission to use, copy, and distribute this document, in whole or in part, for non-commercial use and without fee, is hereby granted, provided that this copyright, permission notice, and appropriate credit to the SIDS Network, Inc. be included in all copies. The opinions and information provided here are not necessarily those of the author and are presented for educational purposes only.