Impact of home monitoring for sudden infant death syndrome on family life. A controlled study.

As home monitoring has been advocated for the prevention of sudden infant death (SIDS) we investigated the influence of such a monitoring programme on family life. Twenty European middle and lower-class families with a child monitored at home after a near miss for SIDS event were investigated. Some psychological and social findings were compared with a group of 20 matched control families. It appears that home monitoring induces severe stress, mainly in the mothers. Fathers and siblings also manifested significant emotional stress. Poor schooling of the parents and previous marital discord seem to be predictors of bad adaptation to home monitoring.