INFANT POSITIONING, SIDS AND PAEDIATRICIANS ADVICE

Key words: SIDS, Sleep, Guidelines

In 1992 the American Academy of Paediatrics Task Force on Infant Positioning and SIDS recommended that healthy term infants must be put to sleep on their back or side to decrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The Authors investigated knowledge and practice on this issue of paediatricians working in Calabria (Italy). 100 paediatricians answeder to an anonymous questionnaire. 69% of them agreed with the APP recommendations but only 9% consistently advised parents to keep their babies on their back; 12% of paediatricians still recommended the prone position. The findings demonstrate that in Calabria the paediatricians advice to parents did not change significantly in spite of their agreement with AAP recommendations.