Positioning and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Update

This statement provides an update to the June 1992 American Academy of Pediatrics9 policy, "Infant Positioning and SIDS," which recommended that healthy term infants be placed on their sides or backs to sleep. Recent data show that the original policy appears to have had a positive effect in decreasing the prevalence of prone sleeping significantly. Simultaneously, the SIDS rate in the United States has also dropped. New data also suggest that the supine position confers the lowest risk; however, the side position is still significantly safer than the prone position. Additional information regarding sleeping surface and exceptions to these recommendations are addressed.