Sudden infant death syndrome: impact on families and a direction for change.

Until recently, there were no standardized approaches to the diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of death in the age group of one week to one year in the United States. This has led to confusion among professionals and hardships for parents and families. The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Act of 1974 provided funding for the dissemination of information, counseling, and education. The author reviews the scope of the SIDS problem, the ways in which it affects families, and mechanisms by which community resources can be mobilized to assist families.