Sibling grief in reaction to sudden infant death syndrome. 1986

E A Burns, and J D House, and M R Ankenbauer

Much of the literature that exists regarding psychologic outcomes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has focused on parental grief or family response; at least two studies suggest that a SIDS death also affected siblings. It is believed that children who experience the death of a sibling due to SIDS do grieve. Factors related to bereavement are the child's age at the time of the sibling's death, special circumstances of the SIDS death, and explanations and grieving response of the parents. However, no information currently exists that characterizes the course of the grief response of these children. Studies have indicated that about 1 year is a normal grieving period for adults. This study was conducted to evaluate the time frame of children's grief response to the death of a sibling from SIDS. A questionnaire was designed that incorporated child grieving behaviors from several sources; 151 questionnaires were distributed to families in which a SIDS death had occurred in the past 16 years in Iowa and Illinois. Information was obtained from 43 families for 50 children who were older than 2 years of age at the time of the sibling's death. With respect to the length of children's grief response, 54% were reported to have grieved longer than 1 year and only 40% were reported to have grieved less than 6 months. Thus, it appears that the length of the grieving response for these children is similar to that described for adults.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002652 Child Behavior Any observable response or action of a child from 24 months through 12 years of age. For neonates or children younger than 24 months, INFANT BEHAVIOR is available. Behavior, Child
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D006117 Grief Normal, appropriate sorrowful response to an immediate cause. It is self-limiting and gradually subsides within a reasonable time. Mourning,Griefs,Mournings
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D012801 Sibling Relations Interactions and relationships between sisters and/or brothers. The concept also applies to animal studies. Relation, Sibling,Relations, Sibling,Sibling Relation
D013398 Sudden Infant Death The abrupt and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant under one year of age, remaining unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. (Pediatr Pathol 1991 Sep-Oct;11(5):677-84) Cot Death,Crib Death,SIDS,Death, Sudden Infant,SID,Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,Cot Deaths,Death, Cot,Death, Crib,Infant Death, Sudden
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor

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