PRINTER'S NO. 4493
No. 921 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY CURRY, BEYER, BISHOP, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN,
CREIGHTON, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO, FLECK, FRANKEL, GEIST,
GIBBONS, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HELM, HERSHEY,
JAMES, KENNEY, KIRKLAND, MANTZ, MELIO, MOYER, MUNDY, MUSTIO,
NAILOR, D. O'BRIEN, M. O'BRIEN, PALLONE, PAYNE, RAMALEY,
RAPP, READSHAW, ROHRER, ROSS, SAINATO, SANTONI, SIPTROTH,
K. SMITH, STABACK, STERN, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH, WALKO, WATSON,
QUINN, McCALL, MOUL, HARRIS, BOYD, ROCK, DiGIROLAMO, MILLARD,
R. STEVENSON AND MAHONEY, OCTOBER 6, 2008
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 6, 2008
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the month of October 2008 as "Sudden Infant Death
2 Syndrome and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome
3 Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania and recognizing the need for
4 an education and prevention program that focuses on the risk
5 factors for SIDS and SUIDS and safe sleeping practices for
6 newborns and infants.
7 WHEREAS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the unexpected
8 and sudden death of apparently healthy babies in which no cause
9 of death can be found after an autopsy and death scene
10 investigation, is the third most common cause of death among
11 newborns, claiming the lives of more than 2,100 babies each
12 year; and
13 WHEREAS, SIDS is a type of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death
14 Syndrome (SUIDS), which is any infant death that is unexpected
15 and initially unexplained. However, with SUIDS, a cause of death
16 is eventually determined after a thorough investigation and
1 autopsy; and
2 WHEREAS, The National Institute of Child Health and Human
3 Development, the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Infant
4 Death Program and the American Academy of Pediatrics provide
5 recommendations for safe sleeping positions and environmental
6 factors that may help reduce the risk of SIDS and SUIDS; and
7 WHEREAS, Infants in this Commonwealth continue to die
8 suddenly and unexpectedly while sleeping, and caregivers are
9 unaware of risk reduction practices, including placing babies on
10 their backs to sleep, creating a safe sleep environment for
11 their baby, keeping babies from overheating, choosing
12 breastfeeding when possible and creating tobacco-free
13 environments; and
14 WHEREAS, Increasing public awareness among all parents and
15 caregivers of infants in this Commonwealth through education
16 regarding the importance of practicing infant safe sleep has
17 great potential for saving lives; therefore be it
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
19 month of October 2008 as "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and
20 Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month" in
21 Pennsylvania.
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