Citation

Randall B, Wilson A. S. Dak. J. Med. 2006; 59(11): 473-477.

Affiliation

Laboratory Medicine, Sanford School of Medicine, The University of South Dakota, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, South Dakota Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17180844

Abstract

The annual report of the Regional Infant and Child Mortality Review Committee (RICMRC) is attached. This Committee has as its mission the review of infant and child deaths so that information can be transformed into action to protect young lives. The 2005 review area includes South Dakota's Minnehaha, Turner, Lincoln, Moody, Lake, McCook, Union, Hansen, Miner, and Brookings counties. Although there was only one death meeting the criteria of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in our region, there were four infant deaths associated with soft, unsafe, sleeping surfaces where asphyxia could not be excluded. We need to continue to promote the "Back to Sleep" campaign message of not only placing infants to sleep on their backs, but also making sure infants are put down to sleep on safe, firm, sleeping surfaces. Nine of ten accidental deaths were related to motor vehicle crashes (versus three in 2004). Unlike previous years, there were no fire-related deaths. In 2005 there were two child abuse related homicides and one teenage suicide. The RICMRC invites other communities to join in its efforts to review deaths to prevent potential life threatening hazards to children in their local environs.

Language: en