Cot death. Bereavement care for families

Our society does not easily acknowledge or cope with death; nor do we allow people to grieve. The death of a baby is particularly distressing and has both short and long-term implications for the families concerned. Community health professionals have a key role in supporting bereaved families. In the first of a two-part series on care of families experiencing a sudden infant death, Alison Stewart and Peter Fleming review the effects of cot death on the family and suggest how health professionals can help families come to terms with their bereavement.