Archive: September 2010
Choptober
What is Choptober?
In a nutshell, Choptober is an annual fundraising event where people grow their sideburns (“chops”) for charity during the month of October...
Choptober was created by Jeremy Mould and Seton Lillas: a couple of Kiwi lads who wanted to start a locally owned and run fundraiser where 100% of the donations received during the campaign would go straight to Kiwi charities. Choptober is raising money for five Kiwi charities including SIDS. How does Choptober work?
People who are keen to participate in Choptober ("Chop Growers") can register through http://www.choptober.co.nz. During registration they will be asked to nominate one of our five charities as the charity they wish to support.
Come October 1st participants start growing their chops and recruiting friends, family, colleagues and even complete strangers to sponsor them.
Donations from sponsors are collected via the Choptober website and passed in-full and direct to the "Chop Growers" nominated charity – no commissions, fees or cuts.
Charities get 100% of the money raised because the Choptober event is run using the personal funds of its founding members Jeremy and Seton, the kindness of Kiwi organisations that donate their services and of course their friends and family. The organisations that are involved have donated approximately $100,000 in goods and services to the campaign thus far.
Who can participate?
Anyone and everyone! If you’re keen to support children’s charities then Choptober is for you.
You can participate by growing your chops, and/or by sponsoring someone who’s growing theirs.
Growing sideburns isn’t just for the blokes...we want all the women of New Zealand to take part too. Ladies can sculpt their hair to simulate sideburns, or use our patented fake sideburns (Chop Sticks) to create the desired look.
We have enlisted a number of "Celebrity Chop Growers" to lead the hair growing charge. Some of the names confirmed to participate thus far include Head Like A Hole, Quentin Pongia, Robbett Hollis (Host Of SnowTV), Karl Burnett, Michele A'Court, Mike King and Jason Napier (of facebook fame). ]
Ok, I’m keen to participate. What should I do next?
"Chop Growers" can register to take part at http://www.choptober.co.nz. You’ll find everything you need to know about Choptober on the website.
To keep up-to-date with the latest Choptober news and become part of the community you can:
Join our facebook group @ http://www.choptober.co.nz/facebook
Follow us on twitter @ http://www.choptober.co.nz/twitter
And keep your eyes and ears peeled: you’ll see Choptober cropping up in all sorts of places.
Anthony Fields “Choptober Ambassador” for SIDS NZ
You probably already know who The Wiggles are and that Anthony is a member, but here are some extraordinary things you may not know...
Anthony Field
Anthony has a degree in Early Childhood, he’s a musician who plays the violin, tin whistle, bag pipes, guitar and didgeridoo.
Played with the Australian Army Pipes and drums, and a part of the original Australian band the Cockroaches and creator of the Wiggles who formed over eleven years ago.
The Wiggles have sold in excess of 9million videos and 5.5million albums in Australia and the USA alone.
The list of achievements for the Wiggles is breathtaking, they are the most successful Australian Children’s entertainment group of all time.
They have won the Highest selling Children’s Sell-Thru Video for 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002, 3 ARIA awards and 3 APRA awards for best Children’s song and album
In Australia, The Wiggles have been awarded: 11 Gold album awards 7 Platinum album awards 3 Double Platinum album awards
Recent tours in the USA, Wiggles tickets have been the hottest in town with $20 tickets being sold on e-bay for ten times the value.
Robert De Niro and Jerry Seinfeld met the Wiggles on their tour in New York City last year, where The Wiggles also appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
They are the only Australian act to have performed twice on NBC’s Today Show
The Wiggles are now Australian icons and ambassadors overseas, The L.A. Times proclaimed “The Australian invasion continues.. Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and now...The Wiggles!”
For more information on Choptober click here for our news article about it from last year, and click here for the official Choptober site.
Click here to visit The Wiggles Official site.
Payroll Giving - Give As You Earn
The scheme allows employees to make donations to SIDS and Kids and other charitable organisations automatically from their pay. It’s a great alternative to giving, retaining a receipt and claiming a tax credit at the end of the year. The payment will be forwarded to SIDS and Kids New Zealand by the donor’s employer, and the donor will receive immediate tax benefits, shown in their normal pay, based on the amount of their donation. If you make a $6.00 donation to SIDS and Kids New Zealand every week you will receive a tax credit of $2.00. Donations will go to help SIDS and Kids New Zealand provide support to families who lose a child and to provide resources to Moe Ora, our bassinette loan scheme providing beds for babies.
To support SIDS and Kids New Zealand talk to your employer and ask them to set up the scheme.
For more information on payroll giving visit the payroll information on the IRD website
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
SIDS AND KIDS NEW ZEALAND INCORPORATED
SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY, 2010
1.00 PM
COLLINGWOOD HOUSE
104 CORNWALL ROAD, WAIUKU
Notice is hereby given of a special general meeting to be held on Saturday 16th January 2010.
The primary purpose of this meeting is to elect a new board to enable the organisation to comply with the constitution and our status as a Registered Charity. Other items will be discussed in relation to current projects and short term plans.
We encourage anyone who feels that they can contribute to the organisation of SIDS and Kids New Zealand Incorporated and the provision of support and resources for anyone who loses a child in New Zealand to attend.
Please email or phone us:
Phone: 0800 80 7437 pin 2670 # or 09 2356107
Assistance is available for travel and accommodation.
Chairperson
George Beazley
Co-ordinator Margret Free
ISPID 2010 Conference
In October 2010 there will be a joint international conference, organized by ISPID along with the International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA) in Sydney, Australia. Deadline for abstract submission is 16 April 2010. Early registration fees apply by 31 May 2010.
ISPID will offer Travel Awards to facilitate attending this important meeting. Please click the conference logo to be forwarded to the conference website.
Choptober Rocks!
Seton Lillas, Jeremy Mould, Ollie Pelling, Matt Currie, Kelly Chapman you all rock! Choptober was backed up by sponsors Trade Me, Interspeed, Goodfella Razors, DPS, Boston Digital, iSite, 1-day Tee, Primal Earth, Chop, Grayson Law, Hydro, 3 Brothers Winery, Head Like A Hole, Fastway Couriers, SPS, Tiki Dub, dDub and Salmonella Dub, you guys made the first Choptober all happen and hopefully it's the first of many!
So who grew their Chops for us? The Choptober Crew celebrity Oscar Kightley who was supported by the groups Eagles AFCNZ, Madness Combat and Spartans with individual growers Ard, Bruce Earle, Cat, Chopper McBurns, Das, Dizz, Fightstacy, Gabe, Grizzle, Hairy McClariy, iCHop81, Jmsbnd, johndeverall, Kabana, Kitty, Laytonius, ozmosis, Rambo, rip it raquel, Robbie Samsquamch OD, Seton Choptober, THE BUDDHA, The Lightning Count and tiny nipples, with celebrity group Venomous Mic Technicians made up of LewzTheryn, Kripled Khemist and Slip Of Da Tongue who were supported by the group ChOpus and growers Bear, damienid, Lil Dave, Matt, michaeljackson, roflCHOPter, and snake montoya. Together all these Chopgrowers raised a whopping $4,168.53 by growing their chops in Choptober month.
Awesome stuff guys and a big thanks to all of you! We look forward to
reporting on what the money has been spent on. And as for next year,
we'll be supporting your new campaign with your new charities guys.
See you then 
The SIDS Crew.
Choptober
What is Choptober?
In a nutshell, Choptober is an annual fundraising event where people grow their sideburns (“chops”) for charity during the month of October...
Choptober was created by Jeremy Mould and Seton Lillas: a couple of Kiwi lads who wanted to start a locally owned and run fundraiser where 100% of the donations received during the campaign would go straight to Kiwi charities. Choptober is raising money for five Kiwi charities including SIDS. How does Choptober work?
People who are keen to participate in Choptober ("Chop Growers") can register through http://www.choptober.co.nz. During registration they will be asked to nominate one of our five charities as the charity they wish to support.
Come October 1st participants start growing their chops and recruiting friends, family, colleagues and even complete strangers to sponsor them.
Donations from sponsors are collected via the Choptober website and passed in-full and direct to the "Chop Growers" nominated charity – no commissions, fees or cuts.
Charities get 100% of the money raised because the Choptober event is run using the personal funds of its founding members Jeremy and Seton, the kindness of Kiwi organisations that donate their services and of course their friends and family. The organisations that are involved have donated approximately $100,000 in goods and services to the campaign thus far.
Who can participate?
Anyone and everyone! If you’re keen to support children’s charities then Choptober is for you.
You can participate by growing your chops, and/or by sponsoring someone who’s growing theirs.
Growing sideburns isn’t just for the blokes...we want all the women of New Zealand to take part too. Ladies can sculpt their hair to simulate sideburns, or use our patented fake sideburns (Chop Sticks) to create the desired look.
We have enlisted a number of "Celebrity Chop Growers" to lead the hair growing charge. Some of the names confirmed to participate thus far include Head Like A Hole, Quentin Pongia, Robbett Hollis (Host Of SnowTV), Karl Burnett, Michele A'Court, Mike King and Jason Napier (of facebook fame). ]
Ok, I’m keen to participate. What should I do next?
"Chop Growers" can register to take part at http://www.choptober.co.nz. You’ll find everything you need to know about Choptober on the website.
To keep up-to-date with the latest Choptober news and become part of the community you can:
Join our facebook group @ http://www.choptober.co.nz/facebook
Follow us on twitter @ http://www.choptober.co.nz/twitter
And keep your eyes and ears peeled: you’ll see Choptober cropping up in all sorts of places.
The People’s Choice Web Awards
The People's Choice Web Awards for the magazine Netguide are coming up. There is a banner at the bottom of our webpage or you can go here http://www.netguide.co.nz/webawards where you can go and vote for SIDS . Remember to vote for SIDS in the "Best Community Site" catagory using the URL http://sids.org.nz. Thanks!
Voting continues until June 29th and the winners will be announced in a Webcast ceremony on July 23.
Hamiltion Child and Parenting Expo - 9th and 10th of May
The two-day Child and Parenting Expo promises to showcase a kaleidoscope of the latest equipment and services for parents and children. SIDS New Zealand will be there with a display of support information and the latest research based recommendations for babies, other organisations will be there with a range of entertainment, plus educational ideas, toy selection, cots and even resources and sporting information for under 10’s.
For parents, caregivers and expectant parents the 2009 expo at Hamilton will provide jewels of information, up-to-the-minute products and valuable clues in the quest to achieving a happy and successful family life.
Everything at the expo will be geared to parents and the family. There will be a free play area to re-invigorate toddlers, a private breast feeding area, a bottle warming station and nappy change area.
The Child and Parenting Expo will stage, under one roof, the most up-to-date initiatives in newborn and baby gear from trends in nappies, anti allergy clothing and boutique clothing to managing the terrible two tantrums, locating resources, learning about nutrition and checking important educational options.
What helps to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome?
The most important way of reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (cot death) is to put your baby to bed sleeping on their back.
Sudden infant death is more common in babies whose mothers smoked when they were pregnant. And being around people who smoke also increases a baby's risk of cot death. If you can't give up smoking, you should at least make sure that no one smokes in the room where your baby is.
Other things that may help are not letting your baby sleep in your bed, making sure your baby doesn't get too hot, giving your baby a dummy, and keeping soft objects, such as pillow or toys, out of your baby's cot.
However, these things only reduce the risk of sudden infant death. Nothing can get rid of the risk completely.
You should always take your baby to see a doctor or to hospital if you're worried about their health. But cot death doesn't happen after an illness. There aren't any symptoms or warning signs.
We've looked at the research on reducing the risk of cot death. Here are the things you can do that may help.
Place your baby to sleep on their back
Sudden infant death syndrome is more common among babies who sleep on their front.You should always place your baby to sleep on their back. Try not to put your baby on their side, as this makes it easier for them to roll onto their front.
At about 5 or 6 months, babies can usually roll over by themselves. You shouldn't stop your baby doing this. It's normal at that age, and the risk of cot death is much lower after your baby is 6 months old.
The research shows that the number of cot deaths has fallen in countries where parents are advised to place their babies to sleep on their back. One study looked at the effect of a national advice campaign in Norway on cot deaths. It found that the number of cot deaths reduced from 2.3 in 1,000 babies before the campaign to 0.6 in 1,000 babies after the campaign.
Another study looked at the ways parents were placing their babies to sleep before and after an advice campaign. Before the campaign more than 50 in 100 babies were being placed on their front. But less than 5 in 100 babies were sleeping on their front after advice was given to parents.
The studies found no serious side effects when babies sleep on their back. For example, some parents worry that their baby may breathe in vomit or choke while sleeping on their back. But the research found that there was no extra danger.
Occasionally, if a baby sleeps on their back, a flat spot can form on the back of their head. This goes away with time and doesn't cause any problems as far as we know. Varying your baby's head position slightly each time they sleep for the first few weeks of their life may help to prevent the problem. Letting your baby roll around on their tummy while awake also may help.
There's a rare condition in which a flat spot forms and the bones in a baby's skull join together. This is more serious, but it doesn't seem to be any more likely for babies who sleep on their backs.
Avoid smoking
Sudden infant death syndrome is more likely if you smoke while you're pregnant. It's also more common in families where someone smokes around the baby.
Lots of studies have found that the number of cot deaths reduced after national campaigns advised parents to avoid smoking around their baby.
For help and advice about stopping smoking, see our information on Smoking.
We don't know exactly how much the advice to avoid smoking reduces the risk of cot death. That's because the national campaigns included advice about other things too. This other advice also may have reduced the number of sudden infant deaths. So we don't know how much of the difference was due to people smoking less. Avoid sharing a bed
Sharing a bed with your baby might make sudden infant death syndrome more likely. The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot in your bedroom for the first six months.
It's more dangerous to share a bed with your baby if you or your partner: Smoke Have been drinking alcohol Take a medicine or drugs that make you drowsy Feel very tired.
There is a risk you might roll over in your sleep and suffocate your baby. Your baby could also get caught between the wall and the bed, or roll out of bed and be injured.
It's also dangerous to sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair. And you shouldn't let your baby sleep alone in an adult bed.
But there isn't much research to show exactly how dangerous sharing a bed is. This sort of study would be hard to do because cot death is rare. And it wouldn't be fair to ask families to do something dangerous just to study the risk.
Avoid overheating or over-wrapping your baby
Sudden infant death syndrome is more likely if a baby gets too hot or is wrapped up in lots of blankets or clothes.
Your baby should be lightly clothed for sleep. The temperature of the bedroom should be comfortable for a lightly clothed adult. Your baby shouldn't feel hot to touch.
Some research has shown that the number cot deaths reduced after national campaigns included advice to parents saying that babies shouldn't get too hot. The number of deaths reduced from 1.6 in 1,000 to 0.2 in 1,000 after one campaign. But advice not to smoke and to put babies to bed on their back was given at the same time. So we can't say how much of the difference was due to keeping babies cool. Avoid soft sleeping places
Babies are more likely to die suddenly if they sleep on something soft, such as a pillow or sofa. You shouldn't place soft materials or objects, such as pillows, quilts or sheepskins, under your sleeping baby. Your baby should sleep in a cot on a firm mattress.
You should also keep soft objects, such as pillows or soft toys, out of the cot. And you should use a sheet, with blankets if needed, instead of a duvet or quilt. Place your baby's feet at the foot of their cot with the bedclothes tucked in around the mattress. The covers should only reach the level of your baby's chest. This will prevent your baby's head being accidentally covered. Breastfeeding
Sudden infant death syndrome is less common among babies who are breastfed. We don't know why this happens. But doctors think there are lots of health benefits that come from breastfeeding, as well as a lower risk of cot death. So doctors usually recommend it.
The number of cot deaths has reduced in countries where campaigns have advised mothers to breastfeed. After one campaign, the number of babies dying from cot death reduced from 1.83 in 1,000 to 0.4 in 1,000. But the campaign included other advice as well as the recommendation that women breastfeed. So we don't know how much of the difference was because of breastfeeding. Use a dummy
Cot deaths are less common among babies who use a dummy at bedtime. There's some good research showing a link between using a dummy and fewer cot deaths.
Some people worry that using a dummy may interfere with breastfeeding or cause a child's teeth to become crooked. But the research shows that these problems tend to be minor and go away in time.
The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths is a charity that aims to help prevent cot death. It says that settling your baby to sleep with a dummy, even for naps, can reduce the risk of cot death. This is the advice the Foundation gives. Consider giving your baby a dummy when putting them to bed or when they have a nap. If the dummy falls out of your baby's mouth once they're asleep, don't put it back in. If your baby doesn't seem to want the dummy, don't force them. Don't coat the dummy in a sweet liquid. If your baby is breastfeeding, don't give them a dummy until they're 1 month old.
It's also a good idea to clean and replace dummies regularly.
Source - guardian.co.uk
Baby deaths spark call for better bedsharing warnings
There has been a call for more consistent messages about the dangers of bedsharing with babies after an inquest into the deaths of seven babies yesterday.
Auckland University professor of child health research Evan Mitchell said bedsharing absolutely increased risk of babies dying from sudden infant death syndrome (Sids).
"About 50 per cent of the deaths are occurring in a bedsharing situations," he told Radio New Zealand.
Prof Mitchell's comments follow a Wellington coroner's inquest yesterday into the deaths of seven babies, including four who died while sharing a bed with others.
Wellington coroner Garry Evans reserved his findings until the New Year but made no secret of his dissatisfaction that the practice of co-sleeping, and other "unsafe" sleeping practices, had not been discouraged enough.
Prof Mitchell said the message to not share beds was included in advice to parents on the Ministry of Health website.
"But the message is being delivered very inconsistently," he said.
"There are a number of breastfeeding advocates ...who are recommending bedsharing to improve breastfeeding rates. "
There were several initiatives that provided an alternative to bedsharing.
"At the moment we don't know of any way of doing bedsharing completely safely - having the cot right up close to the bed so the baby's in close contact proximity, making breastfeeding easy, must surely be the right way to go."
Paediatrician Dawn Elder, who has studied unexplained baby deaths in the Wellington region over the last 10 years, also said more information was needed.
"Certainly there is information out there, but there isn't enough," she said.
"How do we look at getting more information to families in different ways. Sometimes the pamphlet isn't appropriate for every family out there, so how do we do that better."
Not a witch-hunt
Coroner Garry Evans told parents at the inquest yesterday that they deserved more than just a sudden infant death syndrome diagnosis.
"This is not a witch-hunt," he told each family as, one by one, young mothers and fathers took the witness stand to tell the story of their baby's tragic deaths.
"We don't blame you for your loved one's death."
Officials and media sobbed as grieving mothers took the witness stand to tell the story of their babies' last hours.
Some mothers wore vague, blank expressions and had obviously retreated into themselves to cope. Others, like Zantana Meihana, 19, were overwhelmed with emotion, her raw sobs causing all but the most stoic to weep with her.
All mothers were young. All were Maori. All either slept with their babies or had slept them on their tummies or on pillows where they had been found face down or partly covered in a blanket. Each had stories about how their babies had been lovingly wrapped, tucked into bed, fed and kissed before they'd woken to find them dead several hours later.
"Do you think," Mr Evans asked Ms Meihana, "that you could have rolled on to baby in the night?"
"I think I did!" she moaned before collapsing into her father Frank. More than a year after she had woken to find one-month-old Pro Junior lifeless next to her, Ms Meihana could barely shuffle to the witness stand under the weight of sadness.
Mr Meihana said the family had been profoundly affected by the death. They feared they'd be judged.
"At the time, the Kahui twins thing was going on," the large, dreadlocked man told the coroner, his voice breaking into his tears. "I did not want any of that coming on to my family."
The court also heard about the deaths of Yozahliyah Taipeti, Tristan Rapata-Warbrick, Nephi Tito-George, Reipai Harris, Indiah Hawkins and Yozahne Aki-Hosay.
Mr Evans told the families that although the inquests were taxing they deserved more than a diagnosis under the "veil" of sudden infant death syndrome.
"As if [Sids] was some monster gobbling up their little children," he said. Parents needed to know what had really gone wrong.
While parents were warned that co-sleeping could be dangerous, especially when the parent was drunk, drugged or overweight, in some cases yesterday none of those factors was present.
Fan use linked to lower risk of SIDS
Using a fan to circulate air seemed to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome in a study of nearly 500 babies, researchers reported Monday. Placing babies on their backs to sleep is the best advice for preventing SIDS, a still mysterious cause of death.
Experts also recommend a firm mattress, removing toys and pillows from cribs, and keeping infants from getting too warm.
Such practices helped slash U.S. SIDS deaths by more than half over a decade to about 2,100 in 2003. But SIDS remains the leading cause of death in infants ages one month to one year.
"The baby's sleeping environment really matters," said study senior author Dr. De-Kun Li of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif. "This seems to suggest that by improving room ventilation we can further reduce risk."
SIDS is the sudden death of an otherwise healthy infant that can't be attributed to any other cause. These babies may have brain abnormalities that prevent them from gasping and waking when they don't get enough oxygen.
The new study, published in October's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, offers another way to make sure babies get enough air.
More research is needed, said Dr. Fern Hauck of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, but she said that because fan use is in line with theories, it may be worth considering.
"This is the first study that we know of that has looked at this issue," said Hauck, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics SIDS task force.
Researchers interviewed mothers of 185 infants who died from SIDS and mothers of 312 infants of similar race and age. Moms answered dozens of questions about their baby's sleeping environment.
Researchers took into account other risk factors and found that fan use was associated with a 72 percent lower risk of SIDS. Only 3 percent of the babies who died had a fan on in the room during their last sleep, the mothers reported. That compared to 12 percent of the babies who lived.
Using a fan reduced risk most for babies in poor sleeping environments.
The study involved infants in 11 California counties. It was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.
AP
Head Covering May Increase SIDS Risk
Babies who die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are often found with their heads covered by bedding, and now new research suggests that this covering usually precedes death and may, in fact, be causally related.
This finding supports current recommendations to avoid head covering as a means of reducing the risk of SIDS, lead author Dr. Edwin A. Mitchell, from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and colleagues note in the June issue of Pediatrics.
They point out that in UK guidelines, a "feet to foot" approach (placing the infant's feet at the foot of the cot) is recommended as a strategy to prevent the infant from sliding underneath the bedding. Despite this recommendation, it was unclear if head covering, which is seen in roughly 25% of SIDS cases, contributed to death or if it was an agonal event, according to the report.
To answer this question, the researchers analyzed data from 393 SIDS cases in the New Zealand Cot Death Study (1987 to 1990) and from 333 cases in a German SIDS case-control study (1998 to 2001).
Overall, 15.6% of infants in the New Zealand study and 28.1% in the German study had their heads covered, the report indicates.
Infants whose heads were covered were often very sweaty, the researchers found, which suggests that the covering occurred before death. Older infants were more likely than younger ones to have their head covered, which likely reflects motor development.
In both studies, head covering correlated with the occurrence and severity of thymic petechiae. By contrast, head covering was not associated with the position the child was placed to sleep, or with the position the child was found in at death.
While the new findings support SIDS prevention strategies, research is "urgently" needed on how best to prevent head covering, the authors conclude.
Ramaz Mitaishvili
Car Seat Inserts Keep Baby Breathing
Babies travelling in car seats should be provided with additional support to prevent blocking of their airway, research suggests.
A research team from The University of Auckland, Auckland Hospital and the New Zealand Cot Death Association found that breathing problems were significantly reduced when young infants were placed in a car safety seat with a foam insert in it, designed to help the infant’s head to lie upright in a natural position instead of slumping forward.
The research team have worked with Dunlop Foams to develop the foam insert which holds the infant’s body forward with a slot for the protruding back of the head. This allows the head to lie upright even when the baby falls asleep, keeping the baby’s airway open. The insert was designed to protect infants until they are about nine months old, when infants’ jaws become stable.
“Car seats are absolutely necessary for the safety of all small children, but the seat should be made as safe as possible for very young children,” says Dr Shirley Tonkin of the NZ Cot Death Association. “We reported last year in the British Medical Journal that some healthy full term babies had severe stop breathing attacks while they were sleeping in their car seats. By using a foam insert that allows the infant’s head to sit upright, the airway is kept open and the baby is kept safe. A side benefit is that babies seem to sleep more comfortably, but babies should still not be left to sleep unattended.”
“Babies are not shaped like little adults,” says Professor Alistair Gunn of the University’s Departments of Physiology and Paediatrics. “Young babies have relatively much bigger heads than adults and they stick out behind the line of the back. At the same time they have very short necks so that their chins are almost on their chests, and their muscles are less well developed. Because standard infant car seats have flat backs, when an infant is properly strapped in place, the flat back of the seat pushes on the back of the head, which is bent forward, so that the chin is pressed against the chest. Because babies have very mobile jaws, the chin is easily pushed backward, with tongue inside it constricting the airway.”
This study, funded by the H.B.Williams Turanga Trust, monitored healthy full-term babies for 30 minutes restrained in a car seat with the foam insert and 30 minutes without the insert. The infants were monitored for breathing and heart rate, nasal airflow and blood oxygen levels. The research found use of the insert reduced the number of breathing problems. The results are published in the medical journal Acta Paediatrica.
The research team is looking to start a new study, funded by the Auckland Medical Research Foundation and the National Child Health Research Foundation, monitoring babies over a longer period of time to see if sleeping in a car seat over the equivalent of a long car journey (around three hours) produces the same problems as shorter periods and if the insert remains effective over these longer periods. The research team is looking for volunteers with healthy, full term babies between 5 and 10 days of age. For more information, contact Dr Christine McIntosh on 021 105 3144.
The Dunlop Foams Happi car seat inserts are available from Baby Factory and Para Rubber stores across New Zealand. The inserts are available in two styles, one for car “capsules” and one for car seats.
Contact
Emma Timewell, Communications Adviser Ph: 09 373 7599 ext 83258 Email:
Professor Alistair Jan Gunn Ph: 09 373 7599 ext 86763 Email:
Dr Shirley Tonkin, New Zealand Cot Death Association Ph: 09 520 3551
Seasons for Growth
Abstract Submission Deadline
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE APPROACHING!
Submit an abstract and register your participation at the conference before 23:00 on Friday 29 February 2008 to be considered for an oral or poster presentation.
Visit the web site to submit an abstract and register on line – additional information is on the site, also on the website you will find the latest information about the 10th SIDS International Conference to be held in Portsmouth , UK , 23 - 26 June 2008.
Hosted by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths on behalf of SIDS International and the International Society for the Study and Prevention of Infant Deaths (ISPID)
Herald - Safer Baby Car Seats
A simple foam insert designed by New Zealand medical researchers could help prevent babies from choking to death in their car seats.
The researchers, from the University of Auckland, Auckland City Hospital and the Cot Death Association, have found breathing problems are significantly reduced when infants are placed in a car seat with a foam insert, which helps their head lie upright in a natural position instead of slumping forward.
The problem affects infants to varying degrees, with a Canadian study attributing 10 out of around 400 deaths in infants in their first six months of life to this problem.
While there are no official New Zealand figures on this phenomenon, paediatrician Dr Shirley Tonkin from the Cot Death Association knows of at least four cases in the past 20 years.
"It's a very occasional thing, but we're concerned not just about them dying, but about them getting short of oxygen."
Dr Tonkin's initial research into the occurrence stemmed from cases she saw as a doctor.
"I was seeing babies referred to Starship who'd been found in various positions not breathing.
"When I talked to the mothers, it was obvious at least half of these had been in car seats when the parents found them.
"It only happens when you hold the body firmly back - when the baby's restrained as it has to be [in a car seat].
"Car seats are absolutely necessary for the safety of all small children, but the seat should be made as safe as possible for very young children."
The research team worked with Dunlop Foams to develop the foam insert, which holds the infant's body forward with a slot for the protuberant back of the head.
This allows the head to lie upright even when the baby falls asleep, keeping the baby's airways open.
"It's a simple anatomical correction really," said Dr Tonkin.
Fellow researcher Professor Alistair Gunn from Auckland University's department of physiology and paediatrics said babies had relatively bigger heads than adults, with the head sticking out behind the line of the back.
At the same time, they had short necks with less-developed muscles.
"Because standard infant car seats have flat backs, when an infant is properly strapped in place, the flat back of the seat pushes on the back of the head, which is bent forward, so that the chin is pressed against the chest. Because babies have very mobile jaws, the chin is easily pushed backward, constricting the airway."
The study monitored 20 healthy full-term babies for breathing and heart rate, nasal airflow and blood oxygen levels. They were restrained in car seats with and without the insert for 30 minutes each. The insert was found to reduce the number of breathing problems.
Auckland parents Amanda and Brendan Kuriger and their five-month old daughter Natalia were study participants. Natalia has been using the insert since birth.
It was an eye-opening experience for Mrs Kuriger, whose first child Michaela, 4, did not have the benefit of the insert.
"We tend to do a lot of travel down to Tauranga and Taranaki - that's five hours in a car, which is a long time for a baby to be in a position where their windpipe can be blocked off.
"It really is pleasing, and provides peace-of-mind."
The results are published in the medical journal Acta Paediatrica.
The inserts, sold under the name Happi, are available from Baby Factory and Para Rubber stores.
The researchers are looking to start a new study, monitoring the use of these inserts on babies over a longer period of time.
They are looking for volunteers with healthy, full-term babies under 5 days of age.
For more information, contact Dr Christine McIntosh on (09) 273-8976.
Article Written by Errol Kiong Printed by The Herald, February 4th.
Missing Memorial Quilt Found
The beautifully hand-sewn quilt, its squares representing the lives of babies who had died from Sudden Infant Death Sydrome (SIDS), was recently discovered in a Housing New Zealand house in Fordlands. Tenancy manager Michelle Tiriana said the quilt was in pristine condition when it was found in the ceiling.
“I was puzzled as it looked like someone’s treasured quilt.” Determined to track down the owner, Michelle and the Daily Post newspaper in Rotorua embarked on a voyage of discovery, which took them from Rotorua to Hamilton to New Plymouth to Tauranga, and finally to Auckland where contact was made with the SIDS national office. There, the Daily Post spoke with Margaret Free, national coordinater for SIDS, who couldn’t believe what she was hearing when asked if she knew anything about the quilt. It turned out the quilt had been missing for 10 years.
There was a feeling of great loss and sadness when the quilt went missing. Each square was placed there by a family in memory of their child who had died from SIDS. The squares, which cover a 30-year period, memorialise 100 babies. The handing back of the quilt was a very emotional experience for Michelle and Margaret. Margaret and her granddaughter Leah made the journey from Auckland to Rotorua to collect the quilt and take it back to the people who were involved in its making 10 years ago. They have since decided to take the quilt, and its long lost story, to an international SIDS conference in the United Kingdom next year.
By Stuart Greenshields
SIDS International Conference 2008
To be held in Portsmouth, UK 23- 26 June 2008
This conference is being hosted by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths on behalf of SIDS International and The International Society for the Study and Prevention of Infant Deaths (ISPID).
The 10th SIDS International Conference to be held on 23 – 26 June 2008 in the Historic Waterfront City of Portsmouth, UK.
‘Looking together toward new horizons’ The conference will focus on unexpected deaths of the foetus and infants in the first two years of life. It will be a time to look forward to new horizons, exploring how we can work together on traditional areas of study and new understanding to illuminate and eliminate avoidable deaths
This exciting conference will bring together researchers, families, health professionals, counsellors, educators, emergency responders and SIDS organisations from around the world.
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