Message from Tony Clement, Minister of Health
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month 2006

October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Awareness Month in Canada. SIDS refers to the sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant. This sudden loss is devastating for parents and families. As Minister of Health, I wish to express my sympathy to those parents and families who have faced the loss of a child due to SIDS.

Each week in Canada, two to three babies lose their lives to SIDS. Infants are more susceptible to SIDS between the ages of two to four months, but it does affect younger and older babies, though not commonly after the age of one year.

While the cause of SIDS is unknown, certain risk factors have been identified. Infants who sleep on their tummy are at greater risk of SIDS, as are infants who are exposed to tobacco smoke, who are overheated, or covered in too many blankets.

There are simple precautions that can help reduce the risk of SIDS:

• Put your baby on his or her back to sleep
• Make sure no one smokes around your baby
• Avoid putting too many clothes and covers on your baby while he or she is sleeping
• Breastfeed your baby, as it may give some protection against SIDS

On behalf of Canada’s new government, I urge Canadians to learn more about SIDS and the ways to decrease the risks to children. For more information, please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada's Web site or the Web site for The Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths

Tony Clement
Minister of Health
Government of Canada