Message from Minister Dosanjh and Minister Bennett
SIDS Awareness Month - October 2005

October 2005 marks the second SIDS Awareness Month in Canada. As Minister of Health and Minister of State for Public Health, we offer our sincere condolences to parents and families who have faced the devastating loss of a child due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

SIDS refers to the sudden and unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant usually less than one year of age, which remains unexplained even after a full investigation. Each week, two to three babies in Canada die for no apparent reason before the age of one. SIDS is the leading cause of death in Canada for babies between one month and one year of age.

While scientists are still trying to discover the cause of SIDS, they have identified certain factors that increase the risk. Infants who sleep on their tummy are at greater risk of SIDS, as are infants who are exposed to tobacco smoke, or who are overheated or over-covered.

In Aboriginal communities SIDS is of particular concern. While the data on SIDS among Aboriginal peoples is limited, there is some evidence indicating that their rates are higher than among other Canadians. The First nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada has been working with Aboriginal organizations and communities to reduce SIDS and will continue to do so through the Maternal and Child Health program that was announced in September 2004, as part of a $400 million package of "upstream" investments to improve Aboriginal peoples health outcomes.

The Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths - the SIDS Foundation - is dedicated to responding to the needs of families who have experienced a sudden, unexpected and unexplained infant death and to funding medical research on SIDS.

The SIDS Foundation works with Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Canadian Institute of Child Health to increase public awareness about SIDS.

Fortunately, deaths due to SIDS have dropped almost 50% in the past few years. This decline is largely attributed to parents' education on proper infant sleeping position. Infants who sleep on their back are at the lowest risk of SIDS. (Some babies have a medical problem that means they must sleep on their tummy. Ask your doctor which position is best for your child.)

This year, the SIDS Foundation marked the month with their 2005 Baby's Breath Conference from October 5-8, 2005 in Ottawa, where Minister Bennett was pleased to be the keynote speaker. Building on the theme "Bringing Hope and Life to Canadian Families," the conference drew together families, health professionals and researchers to advance our understanding of SIDS.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, we urge you to learn more about SIDS and the ways you can decrease the risk for your baby. We encourage you to visit the Public Health Agency of Canada's Web site or the SIDS Foundation Web site.