Health and Safety in Child Care
and Early Education
CFOC3 Major Changes
CFOC3 MAJOR CHANGEStandard 3.1.4.1: Safe Sleep Practices and SIDS/Suffocation Risk Reduction (p. 96 in hard copy)
Change: The use of blankets is no longer recommended. (This is addressed in the COMMENTS section of the standard, under "Use of Blankets" on page 98).
Revised language:
COMMENTS: Use of Blankets: AAP recommendations state that blankets may be hazardous, and use of blankets is not advisable.1 (p. 98 in hard copy)
1. This represents a change from the printed version of CFOC3 (June 2011) and is based on the AAP's new policy statement on SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths (October 2011) (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-2284).
The remaining text has been deleted and the footnote added. This revision is reflected in the html and PDF version of the CFOC3 Standards on the NRC's website.
Reason for Change: The “Feet to Foot Rule”* is no longer recommended. This change is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) new policy statement, “SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment”, released October 18, 2011.
To read this policy statement in full: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-2284.full.pdf+html
Please feel free to contact NRC Staff at 1-800-598-KIDS (5437) if you have any questions about this change.
*The “Feet to Foot Rule”: Loose bedding such as blankets and sheets may be hazardous. If a blanket is used, make sure it is tucked in around the crib mattress so that the infant's face is less likely to be covered up by the blanket. One strategy is to place the baby so the feet can touch the end of the crib and tuck the blanket around the end of the mattress so that the blanket only reaches the level of the infant's chest (this is called the "feet to foot" rule). Another strategy is to use sleep clothing with no other covering over the infant.