The National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center (NSIDRC)

Bereavement Resources for Health Professionals:
A Selected Annotated Bibliography

Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs, Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU)
Bereavement Support for the family suffering the death of an infant.
McLean, VA: ASIP/ACU. 2006.

This pocket-sized laminated tool card is part of the ACU's quick reference card series for family and preventive health. It provides clinicians the latest in evidence-based protocols for bereavement support in infant death.

Available from:
National SIDS/Infant Death Resource Center (NSIDRC)
8280 Greensboro Dr. Suite 300
McLean, VA 22102
(866) 866-7437
(703) 821-2098
(703) 821-2098 (Fax)
sids@circlesolutions.com (E-mail)
http://www.sidscenter.org

Full-text downloading available at: http://www.sidsprojectimpact.com/_assets/documents/pdf/ACU-ASIP_Bereavement.pdf

Center for Infant and Child Loss
Caregivers hurt too. [English and Spanish versions].
Baltimore, MD: Center for Infant and Child Loss. 2005.

The DVD describes what happens when a SIDS death occurs in a child care setting, the effect of a SIDS death on child care providers and other children in their care, and procedures to follow should an infant become unresponsive while in their care. DVD includes both English/Spanish versions.

Available from:
Center for Infant and Child Loss
University of Maryland, School of Medicine
630 West Fayette Street, Room 5-684
Baltimore, MD 21201-1585
(800) 808-7437 (Toll-free)
(410) 706-0146 (Fax)
childlos@umaryland.edu (E-mail)
mdkids.ab.umd.edu/child-loss

Munday JS
Overcoming grief: Joining and participating in bereavement support groups.
Skokie, IL: ACTA Publications. 2005. 87p.

This user friendly book extols the benefits of the spirituality of accompaniment while strongly affirming the advantages support groups offer the bereaved to accomplish the hard work of grief. Author addresses the role that clergy and religion should play in bereavement. After describing both positive and negative encounters with clergy, gives advice on what should and should not be said or done immediately after a loss, advice that is also helpful to non-clergy. Includes bibliography of general grief resources.

Available from:
ACTA Publications
5559 W. Howard Street
Skokie, IL 60077
(800) 397-2282 (Toll-free)
(800) 397-0079 (Fax)
actapublications@aol.com (E-mail)
http://www.actapublications.com

Munroe B, Kraus F. Ed.
Brief interventions with bereaved children.
Cary, NC: Oxford University Press. 2005. 245p.

The book describes and illustrates the concept of brief therapeutic work with bereaved children and families. Explains the theoretical concepts and practical implications behind the idea of brief work with bereaved children and families. It includes collection of essays by distinguished contributors with backgrounds in heath care, education, social work and the police which brings together the very latest in individual, group and community approaches to children's bereavement. Rather than focusing on one conceptual model and approach to intervention, the book presents multiple approaches and broad range of interventions and special techniques. Includes index.

Available from:
Oxford University Press
2001 Evans Road
Cary, NC 27513
(800) 445-9714 (Toll-free)
(212) 726-6000
custserv@oup-usa.org (E-mail)
http://www.oup.com/us

Parker J, Parker P.
Sudden infant death syndrome: Medical dictionary, bibliography and annotated research guide.
San Diego, CA: ICON Health Publications. 2004. 280p.

This medical reference book is on Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) which offers a structured and comprehensive medical dictionary, bibliography and an annotated research guide to internet references. The book is designed for physicians, medical students preparing for board examinations, medical researchers, and patients who want to become familiar with research dedicated to sudden infant death syndrome. It directs to reliable public, academic, government, peer-reviewed research studies. Includes Appendices A focuses on databases and internet-based guidelines and information resources created or written for a professional audience from NIH, CHID, NLM gateway (web-based system), HSTAT, and other commercial databases. Appendix B lists sources from federally funded institutions that frequently publish guidelines written with patients in mind like fact sheets or guidelines. Appendix C guides how to quickly find a medical library, lists medical libraries in the United States and Canada.

Available from:
ICON Health Publications
ICON Group International, Inc.
4370 La Jolla Village Drive, 4th Floor
San Diego, CA 92122
(858) 546-4341 (Fax)
iconedit@san.rr.com (E-mail)
http://www.icongrouponline.com/health

Progressive Management Medical Health News.
21st century complete medical guide to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): authoritative government documents, clinical references, and practical information for patients and physicians (CD-ROM). 2004.

This up-to-date electronic book on CD-ROM provides collection of official Federal government information and documents on SIDS. It presents clinical and medical information from authoritative sources like National Institutes for Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Combined Health Information Database (CHID), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). It includes an encyclopedic collection of general medical and health documents, thousands of pages with extensive material from the CDC and NIH on hundreds of diseases and health topics from A to Z, along with FDA drug and medical publications, government consumer healthcare tips, disease prevention programs, dietary guidelines, and travelersâ€™ health information. It provides exclusive "Guide to Leading Medical Websites" with updated links to 73 of the best sites for medical information. This CD-ROM has over 32,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software and Reader software is included.

Available from:
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com

National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center (NSIDPSC)
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the Child Care Provider. Sample Drill: Emergency Procedures for an Unresponsive Infant.
Baltimore, MD: National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center. 2004. 1 p.

This information sheet outlines the emergency procedures that childcare providers should follow if they find an infant in their care unresponsive. The first thing the provider should do is start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and continue it until he or she is relieved by another adult certified in CPR. The next steps the provider should follow are to call 911; calm the other children and remove them from the area; call the unresponsive infant's parents, then call the parents of the other children; call his/her licensing agency; leave the area where the infant was found as undisturbed as possible; and contact his/her local SIDS organization. Providers should be aware that, if the infant dies of SIDS, they must inform the parents of the other children in their care; provide them with information on children's grief; provide support and information on SIDS and grief to their staff, if the facility is a child care center; and be prepared to answer any questions asked of them by the police investigators, such as who last saw the infant alive and when, the position and condition of the infant when found, the infant's last feeding, and any other observations about the infant's behavior. The investigators will probably collect items belonging to or surrounding the baby for analysis. The provider and his/her staff should be as cooperative as possible with the investigators during the death scene investigation. Although SIDS does not occur that often, it is important for child care providers to be prepared for an emergency situation involving an unresponsive infant by conducting practice drills.

Available from:
National SIDS/Infant Death Program Support Center (NSIDPSC)
1314 Bedford Avenue, Suite 310
Baltimore, MD 21208
(410) 415-6628
(800) 221-7437 (Toll-free)
(410) 653-8709 (Fax)
Kathleen.graham@firstcandle.org (E-mail)
http://www.firstcandle.org

McClain M, Arnold J, Longchamp E, Shaefer J.
Bereavement counseling for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and infant mortality: Core competencies for the health care professional.
Stony Brook, NY: Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs (ASIP), 2004. 39p.

This guide presents core competencies essential for the health care professional to provide appropriate and effective bereavement counseling and support for a family. Part I focuses on understanding and using infant mortality statistics. It lists various data sources like National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Title V Information System (TVS), Peristats by March of Dimes, State Health Facts Online by Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and Infant Mortality Knowledge path developed by Georgetown University's National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH). Lists leading causes of Infant Mortality and current trends in Infant Mortality. Part II includes risk reduction for SIDS and Infant Mortality. Part III focuses on bereavement counseling for SIDS and Infant Mortality. It lists steps while counseling the bereaved parents, counseling children about death and grief, counseling grandparents, and counseling day care providers and foster parents. Part IV covers the impact of grief counseling on the health care professional. Also includes references and suggested reading list on infant mortality statistics, risk reduction education, bereavement counseling support, helpful books for children, list of ASIP publications and collaborating organizations. Includes list of organizations dealing with grief and bereavement.

Available from:
The Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs (ASIP)
National SIDS& Infant Death Project IMPACT
8280 Greensboro Drive, Ste 300
McLean, VA 22102
(800) 930-7437
(703) 902-1260
(703) 902-1320 (Fax)
info@sidsprojectimpact.com (E-mail)
http://www.sidsprojectimpact.com

National SIDS/ID Resource Center (NSIDRC)
Responding to a sudden, unexpected infant death: The professionalâ€™s role.
Vienna, VA: National SIDS/Infant Death Resource Center. 2004. 4 p.

This fact sheet provides a brief overview of the various professionals involved when a sudden infant death occurs, like who arrives at the scene first, at the hospital, who performs the autopsy, who investigates the death scene, in the days ahead who helps in the grieving process. It furnishes responsibilities and how these professionals can help. Includes glossary for Coroner, Medical Examiner, Pathologist, and Forensic Pathologist. Also includes resource list and bibliographic references.

National SIDS/ID Resource Center (NSIDRC)
Sudden unexpected infant death: Information for the emergency medical technician
McLean, VA: National SIDS/ID Resource Center (NSIDRC), 2004. 4 p.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) role in responding to a sudden infant death. It covers three major roles of the EMT, providing immediate emergency medical care to the baby, observing, assessing, and documenting the scene, offering support and consolation to parents/caregivers. Also discusses potential grief responses, causes of sudden infant death, and the differences between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and child abuse. Includes additional resources, bibliographic references. 10 references.

Stewart A, Dent A.
Sudden death in childhood: Support for the bereaved family.
St Louis, MO: Butterworth Heinemann. 2004. 234p.

This book provides nurses, midwives, counselors, teachers and social workers with a practical study of how health professionals can help a family cope with the unexpected death of a child. It focuses on three key sections, Contexts and perspectives of bereavement, Family members experiences, perceptions and meanings of bereavement and Professional practice, care of bereaved families. It considers the death of a child at any age, from miscarriage to the death of an adolescent (SIDS is included) and explores the effects on the whole family including grandparents. Each chapter gives opportunity for health professionals to consider their own practice and top develop strategies to offer relevant and invaluable support to bereaved families. Stories and comments of family members including children are included in many chapters to assist readers to appreciate the diversity of grief within the family context. Includes appendices on national organizations to help bereaved parents and children, websites on bereavement, resources for bereaved children and their parents, books for bereaved parents and grandparents, books for bereaved children and young people, helping parents support their surviving children, resources for health professionals working with children and families, taking photographs, planning a funeral, a bereavement assessment tool, complexities of grief and setting up a support group for professionals. Includes index.

Available from:
Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann
11830 Westline Industrial Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63146
(800) 545-2522
(800) 535-9935 (Fax)
usbkinfo@elsevier.com(E-mail)
us.elesevierhealth.com

Wolfelt AD.
A childâ€™s view of grief: A guide for parents, teachers, and counselors.
Fort Collins, CO: Companion Press. 2004. 52p.

In this informative, easy-to-read booklet, Dr. Wolfelt explains how children and adolescents grieve after someone loved dies and offers helping guidelines for care giving adults. An excellent, concise resource for parents of grieving kids.

Available from:
Companion Press
The Center for Loss and Life Transition
3735 Broken Bow Road
Fort Collins, CO 80526
(970) 226-6050
(800) 922-6051 (Fax)
wolfelt@centerforloss.com (E-mail)
http://www.centerforloss.com

Shaefer J. When an infant dies: Cross cultural expressions of grief and loss. Volume II. Washington DC: National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program. 2003. 28p.

This issue of the NFIMR Bulletin summarizes a panel presentation at the National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program's Third National Conference, held August 2-4, 2001 in Washington, DC. It provides an overview of the history and customs of four diverse cultural traditions of families grieving the loss of an infant and the strategies providers can use to provide culturally competent support to individuals and families. 13 references.

Available from:
National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program (NFIMR)
P.O. Box 96920
Washington, DC 20090-6920.
(202) 484-3917
(202) 863-2587 (Fax)
nfimr@acog.org (E-mail)
http://www.acog.org/goto/nfimr

Full text available at: http://www.acog.org/goto/nfimr.

Bronheim S.
Infusing cultural and linguistic competence into the multiple systems encountered by families following Sudden, Unexpected Death of an infant. Policy Brief.
National Center for Cultural Competence SIDS/ID Component, Spring/Summer 2003. 12p.

This policy brief provides a rationale for incorporating cultural and linguistic competence in many programs, agencies and systems that families and caregivers encounter following the sudden, unexpected death of an infant. The main focus of the brief is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the issues apply to any cause of Sudden, unexpected death of a child. It lists the impact on families, caregivers and on the community. It overviews guidance on policies that support the infusion of cultural and linguistic competence into the complex array of providers, organizations, community coalitions faith-based organizations, businesses and officials that become involved following such a death. 30 references.

Available from:
National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) SIDS/ID project
Georgetown University Child Development Center
Box 571485
Washington, DC 20007.
(800) 788-2066
(202) 687-5387
(202) 687-8899 (Fax)
cultural@georgetown.edu (E-mail)
gucdc.georgetown.edu/nccc

Full text downloading available at: gucdc.georgetown.edu/nccc

Wolfelt, AD.
The understanding your grief: Support group guide. Starting and leading bereavement support group.
Fort Collins, CO: Companion Press.2003. 99p.

For bereavement caregivers who want to start and run an effective grief support group for adults, this guide discusses the role of support groups for mourners and describes the steps involved (such as deciding on group format, publicizing the group and writing meeting plans) in getting a group started. Responding to problems in the group is also addressed, as is a model for evaluating groupâ€™s progress. It includes potential meeting plans that interface with understanding your grief and the companion journal as texts for group participants. In addition information is included on ceremonies, which can be used to support people in grief on special occasions and holidays.

Available from:
Companion Press
Center for Loss and Life Transition
3735 Broken Bow Road
Fort Collins, CO 80526
(970) 226-6050
(970) 226-6051 (Fax)
wolfelt@centerforloss.com (E-mail)
http://www.centerforloss.com

Horchler JN, Rice R.
SIDS and infant death survival guide: Information and comfort for grieving family and friends and professionals who seek to help them. Third Edition.
Cheverly, MD: SIDS Educational Services. 2003. 320 p.

This book, written by and for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and infant death survivors, addresses the issues facing family members, friends, and helping professionals who must deal with the death of an infant from SIDS. A list of national and international organizations that provide counseling, research data, and grants on SIDS and related topics is appended.

Available from:
SIDS Educational Services
2905 64th Ave.
Cheverly, MD 20785
(877) 935-6839
(301) 322-2620
(301) 322-9822 (Fax)
SIDSES@aol.com (E-mail)
http://www.sidssurvivalguide.org

Shaefer J, McClain M, Noell D.
Fetal and Infant Mortality Review: A guide for home interviewers.
Washington DC: National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program. 2002. 92p.

This resource guide was produced in an effort to provide home interviewers with technical skills and information on best practices necessary to conduct maternal interviews with women grieving the loss of a pregnancy or infant death. Chapter one focuses on FIMR process, Chapter two conducting the FIMR interview, Chapter three understanding the grief experience, Chapter four FIMR interviewer skills and training, Chapter five summarizes the FIMR interviewer, Chapter six deals with self-care for the FIMR interviewer. Contains references, bibliography, about the authors and appendices.

Full text downloading available at: http://www.acog.org/goto/nfimr.

Gemma PB, Arnold J, Wieczorek RR, Ed.
Loss and Grieving in Pregnancy and the first year of life: A caring resource for nurses. Continuing Education for Registered Nurses.
White Plains, NY: March of Dimes. 2002. 76p.

This module has been developed for nurses caring for families who have experienced the death of a child during the perinatal or postneonatal period. It is designed to heighten awareness and to deepen understanding of the significance of grief and to provide guidelines for grieving family.

Available from:
March of Dimes Fulfillment Center
1275 Mamaroneck Ave.
White Plains, NY 10605.
(800) 367-6630
http://www.marchofdimes.com

Worden JW.
Grief counseling and grief therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner. Third Edition.
New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. 2002. 248 p.

This book summarizes for mental health professionals what is known about grief and how to help those who are going through the experience. The book contains an extensive bibliography.

Available from:
Springer Publishing Co.
536 Broadway
New York, NY 10012-3955
(877) 687-7476
(212) 431-4370
(212) 941-7842 (Fax)
nfimr@acog.org contactus@springerpub.com (E-mail)
http://www.springerpub.com

National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center, Bereavement Support Work Team
Guidelines for medical professionals: Providing care to the family experiencing perinatal loss, neonatal death, SIDS or other infant death.
Baltimore, MD: National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center. April 2002. 12 p.

This publication presents guidelines for medical professionals who provide care to families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, infant death, or sudden infant death syndrome. A list of 15 books and articles on perinatal bereavement care that may be useful resources for physicians, nurses, and other health care personnel is included. Appendixes contain a sample patient permission/authorization form for testing and disposition of the miscarried fetus, and a 3-page miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death nursing care plan. 5 references.

Available from:
National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center (NSIDPSC)
1314 Bedford Avenue, Suite 310
Baltimore, MD 21208
(410) 415-6628
(800) 221-7437 (Toll-free)
(410) 653-8709 (Fax)
Kathleen.graham@firstcandle.org (E-mail)
http://www.firstcandle.org

Free full-text downloading at: http://www.firstcandle.org/FC-PDF2/HHS&P/guidelines_for_medical_professionals-final.pdf

National SIDS and Infant Program Support Center, Bereavement Support Work Team
Guidelines for Christian clergy: Providing care to the family experiencing perinatal loss, neonatal death, SIDS, or other infant death.
Baltimore, MD: National SIDS and Infant Death Program Support Center. April 2002. 8p.

This publication presents guidelines for Christian clergy who are trying to support families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, infant death, or sudden infant death syndrome. A list of 10 books that may be helpful resources for parents and clergy in planning an infantâ€™s funeral service is included. Appendixes provide examples of scripture that would be appropriate for a babyâ€™s funeral service, subjects that clergy may want to discuss with the parents, activities that may help parents in their search for healing and comfort, and five factors that are necessary for healthy mourning. 4 references.

Free full-text downloading at: http://www.firstcandle.org/FC-PDF2/HHS&P/guidelines_for_christian_clergy-final2.pdf

Available from:
National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center (NSIDPSC)
1314 Bedford Avenue, Suite 210
Baltimore, MD 21208
(410) 415-6628
(800) 221-7437 (Toll-free)
(410) 653-8709 (Fax)
kathleen.graham@firstcandle.org (E-mail)
http://www.firstcandle.org

National SIDS /Infant Death Program Support Center, Bereavement Support Work Team
Guidelines for Funeral Directors: Providing care to the family experiencing perinatal loss, neonatal death, SIDS or other infant death.
Baltimore, MD: National SIDS / Infant Death Program Support Center. 2002. 7 p.

This publication presents guidelines for funeral directors and other mortuary professionals who provide services to families who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, infant death, or sudden infant death syndrome. A list of 12 books that may be helpful resources for parents and funeral directors in planning an infantâ€™s funeral is included. 3 references.

Available from:
National SIDS/ Infant Death Program Support Center (NSIDPSC)
1314 Bedford Avenue, Suite 210
Baltimore, MD 21208
(410) 415-6628
(800) 221-7437 (Toll-free)
(410) 653-8709 (Fax)
Kathleen.graham@firstcandle.org (E-mail)
http://www.firstcandle.org

Free full-text downloading at: http://www.firstcandle.org/FC-PDF2/HHS&P/guidelines_for_funeral_directors-final.pdf

Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs (ASIP)
The unexpected death of an infant or child: Standards for services to families.
Stony Brook, NY: Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs. 2001. 23p.

This resource is designed for professionals as they assist bereaved individuals and their communities to cope with infant and child deaths. It identifies twelve standards, which can be used to guide by service systems, public health agencies, and community based organizations to develop high quality public health agencies that provide appropriate bereavement support and risk reduction services. It includes appendices to provide supplemental information about bereavement services and case management. Appendix A presents a historical perspective of family bereavement support and the Association of SIDS and infant Mortality Programs (ASIP). Appendix B illustrates one model of case management as developed by the Massachusetts Sudden Infant Death Program. Appendix C describes an ASIP intervention model for professional case management of unexpected child and infant deaths. Appendix D offers a definition of cultural competence as set forth by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Johnson J, Cole E.
Six simple weeks: A caring manual for support group leaders
Omaha, NE: Centering Corporation. 2001. 40p.

This book offers a support group model that uses activities and rituals to aid in the expression and processing of grief.

Available from:
Centering Corporation
PO Box 4600
Omaha, NE 68104
(402) 553-1200
(402) 553-0507 (Fax)
centering@centering.org (E-mail)
http://www.centering.org

California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch
Facts and Feelings: Sudden infant death syndrome.
Rancho Cordova, CA: California SIDS Program. 2001. 14 p.

This booklet is designed especially for families and caregivers who have experienced a sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) loss. The booklet provides information on what happens in a SIDS death; what causes SIDS; whether anyone is at fault in a SIDS death; whether the baby suffered; whether the baby vomited, choked, or suffocated; whether SIDS is contagious; whether older children can die of SIDS; whether SIDS is caused by DTP shots or child abuse; whether breast feeding helps to prevent SIDS; whether SIDS is hereditary; the feelings experienced by bereaved parents, which are often very different; the effects of the death on surviving siblings; and where families can go to get help and support. The booklet reminds childcare providers who have experienced a SIDS death that they, too, should seek out help and support. Contact information for the California SIDS Program and two national support groups is provided.

Available from:
California SIDS Program
11344 Coloma Road, Suite 560
Gold River, CA 95670-6304
(916) 851-7437
(800) 369-7437 (Toll-free in California)
5937 (Fax)
info@californiasids.com (E-mail)
http://www.californiasids.com

California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: What childcare providers and other caregivers should know.
Rancho Cordova, CA: California SIDS Program. 2001. 13 p.

This booklet provides child care providers with information about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The booklet covers the following topics: basic facts about SIDS, to help reduce the risk of SIDS, emergency procedures the child care provider should follow in a suspected SIDS case, how the child care provider may feel after the death, the investigative process that the law requires after every unexplained infant death and questions that investigators will probably ask the provider, how to explain the death to the other children in the child care group, questions to expect from the parents of the SIDS victim, and questions to expect from other parents whose children also are in the providerâ€™s care. The booklet stresses over and over that no one is to blame for a SIDS death. A form for recording emergency telephone numbers is included.

Available from:
California SIDS Program
11344 Coloma Road, Suite 560
Gold River, CA 95670-6304
(916) 851-7437
(800) 369-7437 (Toll-free in California)
(916) 851-5937 (Fax)
info@californiasids.com (E-mail)
http://www.californiasids.com

California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch
Sindrome de muerte infantil repentina (SIDS):Lo que deben saber las guarderias infantiles y personas que cuidan ninos [Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): What Childcare Providers and Other Caregivers Should Know].
Rancho Cordova, CA: California SIDS Program. 2001. 13 p.

This booklet provides Spanish-speaking child care providers with information about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The booklet covers the following topics: basic facts about SIDS, emergency procedures the child care provider should follow in a suspected SIDS case, how the child care provider may feel after the death, the investigative process that the law requires after every unexplained infant death and questions that investigators will probably ask the provider, how to explain the death to the other children in the child care group, questions to expect from the parents of the SIDS victim, and questions to expect from other parents whose children also are in the providerâ€™s care. The booklet stresses over and over that no one is to blame for a SIDS death. A form for recording emergency telephone numbers is included.

California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch
A practical guide to the SIDS home visit
Rancho Cordova, CA: California SIDS Program. 2001.120 p.

The purpose of this guide is to assist public health professionals to prepare for a SIDS home visit. It provides information about essential skills that are required for the effective support to families, identify ways the professional may be personally affected, and provides suggestions on how to personally cope with the emotional impact of SIDS. Section one details history of SIDS legislation, what is SIDS, when it happens. Section two details planning and conducting a home visit. Section three details the actual home visit. Section four provides suggestions to personally cope with the emotional impact of SIDS. Section five includes the standards for public health nurses booklet, the annual SIDS resource listing, and the SIDS informational portfolio order form, tables and checklists.

California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Branch
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Training guide for training of emergency personnel.
Rancho Cordova, CA: California SIDS Program. 2000.

This trainers guide is intended to prepare emergency personnel for their role in supporting SIDS family members, childcare providers, foster parents, and other caregivers at a critical time. This guide provides tools needed to present a series of training modules on SIDS. Each module can be presented individually at different times or in one session for a total training time of two hours. Guide is organized into six chapters. First Chapter provides an overview of the guide, intended users, target audience, and a brief description of the California SIDS Program. Chapter two outlines how to conduct a successful SIDS training, characteristics of an effective trainer, tips for trainers, checklist to conduct effective SIDS training. Chapter three presents description of four training modules and suggestions to use them. Training module 1 covers SIDS update; Training module 2 covers dealing with the death scene; Training module 3 covers ways to support the grieving family and Training module 4 covers coping with your own feelings. Chapter four contains reproducible training overheads. Chapter five includes participant training packet and Chapter six includes resources for trainers like publications, information on ordering pamphlets, training support materials and SIDS training Summary form.

The Dougy Center for Grieving Children, Portland
When Death impacts your School: A guide for school administrators.
Portland, OR: The Dougy Center for Grieving Children. 2000. 57 p.

This guidebook is intended to help school principals and superintendents who are faced with a death or tragedy that affects their students, staff, or community. It is important for schools to have in place a crisis intervention plan that includes a response strategy for the death of a student, teacher, parent, or public figure. A key component of the plan is the Crisis Response Team. The guide discusses how to set up a Crisis Response Team, including who should be on the team, the roles of the team members, and the need for training them in grief and bereavement, and the tasks of the team before and during a crisis. The tasks of the team during a crisis are to confirm the death; inform staff, students, and parents about the death; plan schedules and activities for the school day and week; provide safety measures and special services for students; and assign jobs and roles to Crisis Response Team members. The first school day after the death should begin with a staff briefing and planning meeting and end with a staff debriefing and follow-up meeting. Some situations may warrant regular ongoing staff meetings over several weeks time to help teachers process the impact of the death. The principal can help students by being a good model for grieving that is, by acknowledging his or her own feelings about the loss and encouraging others to do the same. Another way the principal can help students and staff is to allow them to memorialize the person who died. They can do this by writing letters or cards to the bereaved family, creating one big card that all the children sign, or naming a part of the school or school grounds after the deceased person. The school should have a policy about memorials so that the principal is prepared in advance to deal with such issues. Students' grief responses are affected by a variety of factors, including their age, their relationship with the deceased, and the nature of the death. The guide lists common responses of grieving children or teenagers in the following categories: academic, behavioral, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual. Staff members also will experience these kinds of responses to the death and may be vulnerable to prolonged stress symptoms resulting in increased absences, morale problems, lack of attention to their work, and health problems. Murders, accidents, and violent deaths will draw the attention of the media. The principal should have a written media policy and an assigned media contact in advance of such a death. The guide offers six basic principles of grieving: grief is a natural reaction to loss, each student's grief experience is unique, there are no right and wrong ways to grieve, every death is unique and will be experienced by students in different ways, the grieving process is influenced by a multitude of factors, and grieving is not something the students willget over. The guide also discusses special situations, such as death from chronic illness, accidental death, suicide, homicide, and violent death. Appendixes provide sample scripts for class announcements and sample letters to parents after a natural death, suicide, and violent death; and descriptions of other Dougy Center guidebooks for helping children and adolescents cope with grief.

Available from:
The Dougy Center for Grieving Children
3909 SE 52nd Avenue
P.O. Box 86852
Portland, OR 97286
(503) 775-5683
(503) 777-3097 (Fax)
help@dougy.org (E-mail)
http://www.dougy.org

Beckmann,R.
Children who grieve: A manual for conducting support groups.
Holmes Beach, FL: Learning Publications, Inc. 2000. 112 p.

This manual is written to assist counselors, social workers, teachers, and clergy in helping children through grief by developing and facilitating a childrenâ€™s support group. Each 40-page workbook contains a set of the 24 exercises and suggested readings. 8 references.

Available from:
Learning Publications, Inc.
P.O. Box 1338
Holmes Beach, FL 34218-1338
(800) 222-1525, ext. WEB
(941) 778-6651
(941) 778-6818 (Fax)
http://www.learningpublications.com

Shaefer J.
When an infant dies: Cross-cultural expressions of grief and loss.
Washington DC: National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program. 1999. 92p.

This issue of the NFIMR Bulletin summarizes a panel presentation at the National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program's Third National Conference, which was held July 16-18, 1998, in Washington, DC. The journal contains summaries of four presentations from the conference that focused on the cultural traditions of Latino, African American, North American tribal, and Muslim families grieving the loss of an infant. It identifies simple strategies that health care providers can use to begin the process of providing culturally competent support to them. Jodi Shaefer, RN, PhD, begins with an overview of cultural diversity in the United States, the effects of cultural heritage on an individual's expressions of grief and loss, the various kinds of pregnancy and infant loss (e.g., failed infertility treatment, miscarriage, stillbirth, adoption), and common effects of the loss on the family. The first article is adapted from the presentation by Yolanda Thompson, a case manager with the South County Infant Loss Project in Oakland, CA. Yolanda spoke of customs and values that may affect Latino grief and a provider's relationship with a grieving Latino family. Providers must respect Latino rules guiding social relationships; value the concept of warm, friendly, personal relationships; understand that crying is viewed as healthy and appropriate in Latino culture; respect the religion of the family; address questions and communications to the entire extended family; and respect the family's views on pregnancy termination, cremation, and mourning rituals. The second presenter, Darlene Johnson, RN, MA, a nurse epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a Rosebud Sioux Indian, talked about the unique customs and beliefs that may influence grief in four indigenous tribes of North America: the Sioux, the Omaha, the Sauk and Fox, and the Navajo. The third presenter, Barbara Julian, RN, BS, is the Perinatal Loss Coordinator at Bethany Hospital in Chicago, IL. She reviewed the diverse grieving patterns of African Americans, which are influenced by cultural, historical, religious, geographic, educational, economic, gender, and family factors. The fourth article is adapted from the presentation of Nancy Ali, BS, who is an Islamic high school teacher and speaker in Villa Park, IL. Mrs. Ali spoke of the multinational nature of Muslim grief. Muslims share one religion, Islam, but they come from many different countries of the world. While burial rites are basically the same in most Muslim countries, grief reactions will vary. The journal also contains information on nine organizations or programs that can provide additional help for providers who work with bereaved families from diverse cultures.

Full text downloading available at: http://www.acog.org/goto/nfimr.

California Department of Health Services, Maternal and Child Health Bureau
Hechos y sentimientos: Sindrome de muerte infantil repentina [Facts and Feelings: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome].
Rancho Cordova, CA: California SIDS Program. 1999. 14 p.

This Spanish-language booklet is designed especially for families and caregivers who have experienced a sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) loss. The booklet provides information on what happens in a SIDS death; what causes SIDS; whether anyone is at fault in a SIDS death; whether the baby suffered; whether the baby vomited, choked, or suffocated; whether SIDS is contagious; whether older children can die of SIDS; whether SIDS is caused by DTP shots or child abuse; whether breast feeding helps to prevent SIDS; whether SIDS is hereditary; the feelings experienced by bereaved parents, which are often very different; the effects of the death on surviving siblings; and where families can go to get help and support. The booklet reminds childcare providers who have experienced a SIDS death that they, too, should seek out help and support. Contact information for the California SIDS Program and two national support groups is provided.

The Dougy Center for Grieving Children
35 Ways to Help a Grieving Child.
Portland, OR: The Dougy Center for Grieving Children. 1999. 52p.

This guidebook is the result of feedback from thousands of grieving children and adolescents who have been helped by The Dougy Center for Grieving Children since it opened in 1982. The guide is intended for caring parents, teachers, and adult caregivers who want to support children who are grieving but are not sure how to go about it. Everyone grieves differently; grieving is influenced by cultural traditions, religious beliefs, family experience, and personality, so not all of the suggestions in this book will apply to every situation. The 35 ways caregivers can help a grieving child are as follows: listen; listen some more; never lie to a child; answer all the questions they ask, even the hard ones; give the child choices whenever possible; encourage consistency and routines; talk about and remember the person who died; make the childâ€™s world safe for grieving; expect and allow all kinds of emotions; forget about the â€œgrief stagesâ€; respect differences in grieving styles; allow the child to express his or her grief through drawing, painting, and other artistic activities; encourage the child to release energy and emotions through physical activity; be a model of good grief; hug with permission; practice patience; support children even when they are in a bad mood; expect some children to act younger than their age; expect some children to become little adults; encourage the child to eat right and drink lots of water; help the child at bedtime, since sleep may be difficult for some grieving children; inform the childâ€™s teacher about the death; resist being overprotective; donâ€™t force a child to talk; encourage the child to take breaks from grieving; remember that â€œplayingâ€ is â€œgrievingâ€; seek additional help for the child if needed; attend to the physical aspects of the childâ€™s grief; help children know that they are not alone in their grief; understand that grief looks different at different ages; set limits and rules and enforce them; remember special days that will be emotional for the child; plan family times together; be available for the child when he or she needs you; and take care of yourself. The guide includes descriptions of other guidebooks produced by The Dougy Center as well as a list of other recommended books for children organized according to age level.

Available from:
The Dougy Center for Grieving Children
3909 SE 52nd Avenue
P.O. Box 86852
Portland, OR 97286
(503) 775-5683
(503) 777-3097 (Fax)
help@dougy.org (E-mail)
http://www.dougy.org

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Bereavement Resources for Health Professionals: A Selected Annotated Bibliography

Bereavement Resources for Health Professionals:
A Selected Annotated Bibliography