Dr Jim Sprott is congratulating mattress-wrapping campaigners in the Nelson region for their efforts in cot death prevention, following the announcement that a cot death support group in Nelson has closed.

The SIDS Nelson support group, which has operated in the Nelson region for many years, announced its closure during the weekend, citing the total absence of cot deaths in the area.

Over the past five years there have been no cot deaths in the group’s area of operation, whereas previously 7-9 deaths occurred each year in that area.

“The total absence of cot deaths in the Nelson region over the last five years comes as no surprise whatsoever,” said Dr Sprott today. “Mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention has been very actively promoted in the Nelson region, and mattress-wrapping products have been on the retail market for five years.”

Dr Sprott singled out for special praise Nelson Public Health & Child Health Nurse, Helen Bracefield. “Ms Bracefield has campaigned very actively for mattress-wrapping in recent years,” said Dr Sprott. “She has made information available to parents personally and through the Golden Bay Community Centre.”

“In addition, midwives in the area have obtained from myself and distributed copies of a booklet which tells parents about the success of mattress-wrapping for cot death prevention and how to wrap mattresses. Now we see in Nelson the results of these efforts by baby care professionals. These advisers are all to be commended.”

Dr Sprott said that well over 100,000 New Zealand babies have now slept on wrapped mattresses. There has been no reported cot death – anywhere - on any mattress wrapped in accordance with his specifications for cot death prevention.

Dr Sprott predicts that other closures of cot death support groups will follow the disbanding of the SIDS Nelson group.

“The work of cot death support groups in New Zealand will soon be over,” he said. “Furthermore, I can confidently predict where closures of support groups will occur. The areas in New Zealand where mattress-wrapping is very widely practiced are well documented.”

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Contact: T J Sprott Phone/fax: 09-5231150 sprott@iconz.co.nz
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