Prevent Crib Death

Sudden-infant-death syndrome is declining, thanks to parent action. Here's what you can do

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Six years ago, the American Academy of Pediatrics surprised doctors everywhere by urging that all healthy infants be placed on their sides or backs when they sleep. The physicians' group was responding to reports from Europe that showed that babies who sleep on their backs are much less likely to succumb to sudden-infant-death syndrome, also known as crib death, than those who sleep on their stomachs.

Now we know just how vital that recommendation was. According to a study in last week's Journal of the American Medical Association, only 24% of American...

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