The etiology of SIDS has been studied extensively but remains unclear. Controversial guidelines on infants sleep position were issued at this time, advocating supine or sidelying positions. The AAP modified their initial guidelines in 1996, recommending supine as the preferred sleep position during infancy. This article provides a brief overview of SIDS and the events leading to the current AAP stance on infant positioning.
Parent education is addressed, with specific recommendations for discharge teaching.