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SH07J070SIDS Rudy and Melissa Haberzettl of Colorado Springs, Colo., hold a portrait of their son Jake who died of SIDS at 3 months old. (SHNS photo by Tom Kimmell)

SAVING BABIES: EXPOSING SUDDEN INFANT DEATH IN AMERICA
(This special project is for immediate release and is accompanied by an interactive data base of 20,000 infant deaths available at www.scrippsnews.com)

SIDS (Hargrove and Bowman, SHNS) -- Every day in America at least 10 babies die suddenly and mysteriously. Yet some of the more than 4,000 victims of sudden infant death each year could be saved if there was a simple national standard for infant death investigations, a seven-month review by Scripps Howard News Service has found.

In fact, we are getting further away from solving the mystery of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome because of sloppy procedures, manipulation of statistics, misguided efforts to protect the feelings of grieving parents, and deliberate attempts to make SIDS go away, at least on paper. 4,500. With photos: SH07J066SIDS, SH07J067SIDS, SH07J068SIDS, SH07J069SIDS, SH07J070SIDS, SH07J071SIDS, SH07J072SIDS, SH07J073SIDS, SH07J074SIDS, SH07J075SIDS

SIDS-SHORT is an abbreviated version of the main that offers three additional length alternatives. With photos: SH07J085SIDSSHORT, SH07J086SIDSSHORT, SH07J087SIDSSHORT, SH07J088SIDSSHORT, SH07J089SIDSSHORT, SH07J090SIDSSHORT. EDITORS: The pictures with SIDS-SHORT can be used with any story.

SIDS-FAMILIES (Bowman, SHNS) -- Families of SIDS victims tell disturbing tales of how they were treated and whether medical authorities are correctly determining the causes of death of their infants. "The medical examiner's people went from story to story about what had happened to her, but kept telling me it wasn't SIDS," said Victoria LaBarbera of Broward County, Fla., after the death of her 6-month-old daughter. "It robs you of who you are. You're told your baby died and they have no idea why.'' 1,300. With photos: SH07J078SIDSFAMILIES, SH07J079SIDSFAMILIES

SIDS-NEWYORK (Hargrove, SHNS) -- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has virtually disappeared in the state of New York, a suspicious decline that medical experts believe resulted from questionable accounting methods rather than a medical breakthrough for infant health. A few months ago, the New York State Department of Health reported only 23 SIDS deaths for one year. "That has to be wrong!" said a prominent SIDS researcher. 1,300.

SIDS-JAIDEN (Hoffman, SHNS)-- The story of Jaiden Tallent's short life and unexplained death is one of indescribable sorrow, guilt and crushed hopes -- the same sad daggers that forever scar the hearts of other families whose babies are similarly lost to sudden infant death. 1,600. With photos: SH07J080SIDSJAIDEN, SH07J081SIDSJAIDEN

SIDS-AUTOPSY (Bowman, SHNS) -- It starts with a phone call about a small life suddenly ended. A baby is found lifeless, unable to be revived. Almost all of the more than 4,000 sudden and unexpected infant deaths in this country each year prompt a detailed investigation into the circumstances and an autopsy. A look at how medical examiners autopsy and investigate infant death. 1,800. With photos: SH07J076SIDSAUTOPSY, SH07J077SIDSAUTOPSY

SIDS-THEORIES (Bowman, SHNS) -- Despite decades of research, no definite cause of SIDS is known. Researchers believe that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome probably has more than one cause, and that there may be different causes of SIDS from one baby to another. Some of the possible causes of the syndrome that have been discussed and researched over the years. 500.

SIDS-POLL (Hargrove, SHNS) -- One in every five American adults knows a family that lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. People who have children of their own are more than twice as likely to personally know a victim of SIDS than are people who've never been parents, according to a nationwide survey of 1,010 adults conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University. 350.

SIDS-WHATIS (SHNS) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines SIDS as: "The sudden death of an infant less than 1 year of age that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history." A brief look at what is known about SIDS. 250.

SIDS-WHATNOT (SHNS) -- The determination that a baby died of SIDS means that a coroner or medical examiner could find no other cause of death. Experts don't know what causes SIDS. But they agree what SIDS is not. 350.

SIDS-TIMELINE (SHNS) -- From ancient Egypt to the latest research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a look had how societies and medical authorities treat cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 1,000.

SIDS-GLOSSARY (SHNS) -- A glossary of medical terms important to understanding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 700.

SIDS-TIPS (SHNS) -- Tips for sudden infant death prevention from the National Institutes of Health. 200.

SIDS-CHART1, 2, 3 (SHNS) -- Charts showing the varying rate that SIDS is diagnosed in each state, a look at how often the cause of death is reported to be "unknown" or SIDS or cases of accidental suffocation or smothering by state and by county. 250.

SIDS-RESOURCES (SHNS) -- Where to get information or support on SIDS. 100.

EDSIDS (McFeatters, SHNS -- Editorial) -- A call for national standards for the investigation and diagnosis of sudden infant deaths. 600.

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