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“An autopsy will confirm the cause of your infant’s death.” While factually correct, this statement is clinical and lacks emotional sensitivity. The grieving parents need compassion and reassurance, not procedural information, at this moment.

“Don’t worry, you'll have more children.” This response is dismissive of the parents’ current grief. It minimizes their loss and can be perceived as insensitive. Grieving parents need acknowledgment of their pain, not future-focused reassurance.

“Be sure to place your next infant on his back to sleep.” Although this is valid preventive advice, it is not appropriate immediately after the death. The family is not emotionally ready to receive educational information during acute grief.

A 2-year-old with a broken arm: SIDS typically occurs in infants under 12 months of age. A 2-year-old child is not at risk.

An infant hospitalized with a temperature of 103.4° F (39.7° C): While fever indicates infection, it is not a direct risk factor for SIDS. SIDS is not caused by infections or fever but by unexplained respiratory or cardiac events during sleep.

A first-born child: Birth order is not associated with an increased risk of SIDS. Risk is more closely linked to factors such as prematurity, low birth weight, exposure to tobacco smoke, and unsafe sleep environments.

While spiritual support is important, it is not the first step. This should be offered after the parents have been given time to be with their infant and begin processing their grief.

Explaining the etiology of SIDS at this point is not appropriate because the parents are in shock and not emotionally ready to absorb details. Emotional support should take priority.

Collecting the infant’s belongings and giving them to the parents should occur after the parents have seen their infant. Giving belongings immediately may feel abrupt or insensitive and does not support their initial emotional needs.

Breastfeeding the infant reduces the risk of SIDS. It strengthens the infant’s immune system and promotes better sleep patterns. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding as a preventive measure against SIDS.

Post-term infants, born after 42 weeks, are not at increased risk of SIDS. The risk is higher in preterm or low-birth-weight infants.

Immunizations do not increase SIDS risk but instead, they have been shown to lower the risk. Vaccinated infants are generally healthier and less prone to infections that can compromise breathing during sleep.

“Did you hear the infant cry out?” This question may sound accusatory or imply that the parents could have prevented the death by responding sooner. It can increase feelings of guilt.

“Was the infant’s head buried in a blanket?” Although this might seem relevant to identifying a cause, it is inappropriately phrased and can make parents feel blamed or responsible for the death.

“Were any of the siblings jealous of the new baby?” This is irrelevant and inappropriate. SIDS is not related to sibling interactions, and such a question may seem insensitive and distressing during the grieving process.

Pulmonary function tests at regular intervals are not appropriate or feasible for infants. Pulmonary function testing requires voluntary effort and is used for older children or adults with chronic respiratory conditions.

Continuous pulse oximetry is not routinely used at home for SIDS risk reduction. It can lead to false alarms and unnecessary anxiety. It is typically used in clinical or hospital settings, not as a preventive measure for SIDS.

Chest X-ray at age 1 month provides no information related to SIDS risk and would expose the infant to unnecessary radiation. There are no imaging studies that can predict or prevent SIDS.

Acceptance of the diagnosis does not occur immediately after such a sudden and devastating loss. Families often go through stages of shock, denial, anger, and guilt before acceptance can occur.

Parents are usually in acute shock immediately after the death. While they may later request the infant’s belongings for closure, this is not the typical initial reaction.

Although questions regarding the etiology of the diagnosis may arise later, during the initial stage of grief, families are usually too overwhelmed with shock and disbelief to seek detailed explanations. Emotional support takes precedence over education at this time.

Although grief and anger can affect coping, the key issue here is anger directed toward God, which is spiritual in nature, not primarily behavioral or emotional.

Complicated grieving refers to prolonged or unresolved grief that interferes with functioning over time. At this stage, the parents are experiencing acute grief, not chronic dysfunction.

Chronic sorrow is a long-term recurring sadness often seen in parents of children with chronic illnesses or disabilities. It does not apply to this sudden, traumatic loss.

One visit in 2 weeks: Waiting this long delays emotional support during a time when the parents are most vulnerable. Immediate intervention helps stabilize emotional well-being and builds trust.

No visit is necessary: This response is inappropriate and neglectful. Families who lose a child to SIDS often need ongoing emotional and psychological support. Avoiding contact can worsen feelings of guilt and isolation.

One visit with parents only, no siblings: Siblings should be included, as they also grieve and may have misconceptions or guilt about the death. Excluding them can lead to unresolved emotional issues.

Cough, dyspnea, and drooling: These are more typical of oropharyngeal or esophageal obstruction, not tracheal. Drooling occurs when swallowing is impaired, suggesting the object is not in the airway.

Cough, stridor, and changes in phonation: These findings are more consistent with laryngeal obstruction, where the vocal cords or glottis are affected. Changes in voice or hoarseness occur when the larynx is involved, not the trachea.

Cough, asymmetrical breath sounds, and wheeze: This pattern suggests a bronchial foreign body, where one lung receives less airflow, causing unequal breath sounds and localized wheezing.

While faith and spirituality may comfort some parents, not all grieving parents find solace through religious practices, especially if they are experiencing anger toward God or loss of faith following the death. It should not be the only recommended long-term strategy.

Counseling is beneficial in the short-term for grief and trauma, but ongoing peer support groups often provide longer-term emotional reinforcement. Counseling may complement, but not replace, group support.

Family and friends can offer love and comfort, but they may struggle to understand the unique pain associated with SIDS loss. Parents may feel misunderstood or judged, making professional or peer-based support groups more effective for sustained healing.

“You should administer five abdominal thrusts followed by five back blows.” Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) are contraindicated in infants under 1 year because they can injure the liver and other abdominal organs.

“You should try to retrieve the object by inserting your finger in your child’s mouth.” Blind finger sweeps should never be performed, since they can push the object deeper, worsening obstruction or causing airway trauma.

“You should perform the Heimlich maneuver.” The Heimlich maneuver is appropriate only for children older than 1 year and adults, not infants.

Recognizing symptoms such as coughing, choking, wheezing, or stridor is secondary prevention, aimed at early detection, not preventing the event itself.

Therapeutic management of foreign body aspiration refers to intervention after aspiration has occurred such as bronchoscopy, which is tertiary prevention, not primary.

While risks associated with foreign body aspiration are important for awareness, simply discussing risks such as airway obstruction, hypoxia does not provide actionable strategies to prevent aspiration events.

With the child lying down and breathing through the mouth, apply pressure to the bridge of the nose: Lying down increases blood flow to the nasal vessels and may cause blood to pool in the throat, leading to nausea or aspiration. Pressure to the bridge does not effectively compress the bleeding vessels in the anterior septum.

With the child lying down and breathing through the mouth, pinch the lower third of the nose closed: Although pressure is applied correctly, lying down is contraindicated because it increases the risk of aspiration and difficulty managing secretions.

With the child sitting up and leaning forward, apply pressure to the bridge of the nose: Sitting up and leaning forward is correct, but pressure must be applied to the soft part of the nose, not the bony bridge, which does not stop anterior bleeding.

Inspecting location, extent, and shape of burn injuries using tools like the Lund-Browder chart) is important but not the first priority. It is performed after airway and breathing are stabilized.

Assessing the child’s and family’s concerns regarding the child’s appearance is appropriate after life-threatening issues have been managed. Psychosocial support comes later in the care process.

Assessing for signs and symptoms of infection is not an immediate priority during initial assessment since infection is a later complication. Airway and circulation must be secured before evaluating for infection risk.