Institution/Agency: Children’s Hospital Foundation, Children’s National Medical Center - Washington DC
Principal Investigator: Rachel Y. Moon, MD
Dates Funded: June 2009 – May 2010
Project: Changes in Sleep Patterns and Stress in Infants Entering Child Care: Implications for SIDS Risk
Description: Approximately 20% of infants who die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) die while in child care settings and many of these deaths occur in the first week, particularly on the first day of child care. While no single factor accounts for all SIDS cases, there are several possible factors that contribute to increased risk during the transition to child care; these include change/disruption in sleep pattern, increased stress in the infant, and disruption in the normal maturation of the infant circadian rhythm. This project pilots investigative techniques in infants, half of whom are entering child care, by measuring sleep patterns and hormones that are indicative of stress and circadian rhythm in infants.
