CDC Sleep Safety & SIDS Prevention 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary sleep-position risk factor most strongly associated with SIDS?
- Sleeping in a room with natural light
- Stomach or side sleeping position (Correct answer)
- Using a pacifier during sleep
- Placing the crib near a drafty window
Correct answer: Stomach or side sleeping position
Research consistently shows that stomach (prone) and side sleeping positions significantly increase the risk of SIDS compared to back sleeping.
Question 2: Which federal program's performance standards require childcare centers receiving federal funding to follow safe sleep practices?
- Head Start Performance Standards (Correct answer)
- OSHA Workplace Safety Standards
- Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines
- Fair Labor Standards Act requirements
Correct answer: Head Start Performance Standards
Head Start Performance Standards include specific safe sleep requirements for programs receiving federal Head Start and Early Head Start funding.
Question 3: A parent requests that their infant be placed to sleep on their stomach, stating the baby sleeps better that way. What is the correct response for a licensed childcare provider?
- Comply with the parent's request since parents have full authority over their child
- Place the infant on their stomach only during daytime naps
- Explain safe sleep guidelines and place the infant on their back per state regulations (Correct answer)
- Contact the child's pediatrician before making any decision
Correct answer: Explain safe sleep guidelines and place the infant on their back per state regulations
Licensed childcare providers are legally required to follow state safe sleep regulations regardless of parental preference, and they should calmly explain these regulations to the parent.
Question 4: In the context of infant safe sleep, what does 'room sharing' refer to?
- Having multiple infants sleep in the same crib to save space
- Placing the infant's separate sleep space in the same room as the caregiver (Correct answer)
- Sharing a sleep room between infant and toddler age groups
- A home practice where infants sleep in the parents' bedroom
Correct answer: Placing the infant's separate sleep space in the same room as the caregiver
Room sharing means placing the infant's own safe sleep space (crib/bassinet) in the same room as caregivers, allowing close supervision without the risks of bed-sharing.
Question 5: Which of the following is a known risk factor for SIDS that childcare providers should be vigilant about?
- Breastfeeding
- Offering a pacifier during sleep
- Secondhand smoke exposure in the infant's environment (Correct answer)
- Placing infants to sleep on their back
Correct answer: Secondhand smoke exposure in the infant's environment
Exposure to secondhand smoke is a well-documented risk factor for SIDS, and childcare environments must be kept completely smoke-free to protect infants.
Question 6: What should a caregiver do if an infant falls asleep in a car seat, swing, or bouncy seat at the daycare facility?
- Leave the infant to sleep in the device for the full nap period
- Transfer the infant to a firm, flat sleep surface as soon as safely possible (Correct answer)
- Recline the device to its flattest position for continued sleep
- Place a thin blanket over the infant and continue monitoring
Correct answer: Transfer the infant to a firm, flat sleep surface as soon as safely possible
Car seats, swings, and bouncers are not approved sleep surfaces; infants should be transferred to a firm, flat sleep space because the inclined position can compromise their airway.
Question 7: Swaddling an infant for sleep is generally considered safe only under which condition?
- The infant is under 6 months of age
- The swaddle is snug around the hips and the infant cannot yet roll over (Correct answer)
- A thin muslin blanket is used instead of a dedicated swaddle blanket
- The infant is placed on their stomach to feel secure after swaddling
Correct answer: The swaddle is snug around the hips and the infant cannot yet roll over
Swaddling is safest when the wrap is snug around the arms but loose around the hips, and should be discontinued once an infant shows signs of rolling to prevent entrapment.
CDC Sleep Safety & SIDS Prevention 2
What is the primary sleep-position risk factor most strongly associated with SIDS?