RJA #15

RJA #15: Reflection–

In this class I learned a lot about different search engine and how deep and extensive research you can gain with those search engines. This class also helped me realize that using multiple keywords in a search can really change things. I also learned a lot about documentation. I learned almost everything I wrote about SIDS. I knew little to nothing going into my research, so I gained a lot with that. I believe this class will help me in the future because I know I will have many research papers to come and now I know of a lot of different tricks to use and how to document myself properly and I definitely think I will be keeping my Writer's Guide book to help go back and reference to things.

RJA #14

RJA #14a: Application Project Progress Report–

For my project I am doing a news article. I have planned to stray away from the fictional "break through" portion I was going to write with. Instead I am going to just stick to writing a news article about a fictional story of how a baby has died from SIDS and what action is taken after the baby dies. I am going into an emotional factor to try to get people to realize how important finding a "cure" really is.

So far I have started writing the introduction and part of the body of the news article. I have gotten in my head the voice I want to have in the paper and what I want to get across to the readers. I am about half way done.

I still haven't decided how to end the article. Also, I still am not sure if I want to add more about other babies dying or stick to just this one fictional case. I still am worrying if it is going to come across as too sappy or if it will hit home to some people. I still need to conclude things and add some length to the body.

RJA #14b: Application Project References–

Journal Article: John Griffith. April 23, 2010. Loving Kids, No SIDS. Daily Press.
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/04/23/top_story/doc4bd0f8c7c12ff297736580.txt

Website: Lydia. April 1999. Jacob's Corner. SIDS Families.
http://jacob.sidsfamilies.com/

News Article- Miriam Falco. April 6, 2010. CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/04/05/breastfeeding.costs/index.html

New Article- Liz Szabo. Feb. 2, 2010. Study: Babies' low serotonin levels cause SIDS. USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-02-03-sids03_st_N.htm

News Article- Lex Engel. May 2, 2010. Mother Raising Money, Awareness for SIDS. Herald Citizen.
http://www.herald-citizen.com/view/full_story/7271274/article-Mother-raising-money--awareness-for-SIDS?instance=homethirdleft

RJA #13

RJA #13a: Word Cloud–

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/1953742/SIDS

RJA #13b: Application Project Plan–

For my application project I plan to do a news article. From some of the research I did I made sure to look at some of the fictional books along with real stories of babies that died from SIDS so that I would get a personal feeling for my topic and so that I could really bring out a passionate side to my paper. So with this I want to do a news article of a break through in SIDS after a baby dies and how they were able to pinpoint that the baby died from low serotonin levels in the brainstem. I want to capture an emotional side along with somewhat obvious fiction for what I wish to see happen in the future.

RJA #13c: Application Project Example–

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/04/23/top_story/doc4bd0f8c7c12ff297736580.txt

I liked this example of an article because it showed emotion. There's facts in the article that are helpful and helpful hints on how to help stop SIDS. There's a personal short story about a grandmother that lost her grandchild to SIDS and how she is helping to raise awareness to the cause. This is all content that I want to circulate my article around. The article shows hope and what people are doing to help fund finding a cure to SIDS.

RJA #12

RJA #12a: Annotated Bibliography, Part 3–

Richardson, B.A. 1994. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A Possible Primary Cause. Journal of Forensic Science Soc. Jul-Sep; 34(3):199-204.

In this article is it said that SIDS is a cause from toxic crib mattresses. Claims are made that is vinyl mattresses are wrapped before use that many infant lives will be saved. Although, these claims have numbers that support the thoery, it hasn't been proven. This is a help resource for the fact that it gives a different angle on what a "cause" of SIDS could be.

Coulter, Harris. 1996. Vaccination Debate: Do Vaccines Cause Cot Deaths? Center For Empirical Medicine.

This article shares information of how the early shots/vaccines in babies can cause SIDS. Now, 93 babies have been labeled to have been proven that they died from vaccinations yet on the records they are labeled of dying from SIDS. Finding more information for reasons and causes are what make this article useful.

RJA #12b: Field Research Report–

For my field research I used a group of people that I know. I wanted to get a general consensus on what people knew of SIDS and what they thought of it.

Below are my questions with a number of how many answered yes or no.

Question 1: Do you know what SIDS is?
YES: 7 NO: 1
Question 2: Do you feel that SIDS can be prevented?
YES: 8 NO: 0
Question 3: Do you know of any theories of what "causes" SIDS
YES: 2 NO: 6
Question 4: Do you know of anyone that had a baby die of SIDS?
YES: 1 NO: 7
Question 5: Were you ever educated on SIDS?
YES 4 NO: 4
Question 6: Do you feel research into SIDS is important?
YES: 8 NO: 0

RJA #11

RJA #11: Annotated Bibliography, Part 2–

Abraham B. Bergman. "The Discovery of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Lessons in the Practice of Political Medicine." Praeger Publishers. Westport, CT. 1986.

Abraham Bergman is a well-developed doctor of pediatrics. In this book, the factors that make it interesting are that Abraham Bergman uses a unique look at how political arguments and politics in medicine can affect the research on SIDS. This books goes into the history of SIDS and a wide spectrum from that and how families of the victims can be helped. This is helpful because of the outlook on how the government can play a role on SIDS.

Monica Cane. "A Journey to Healing: Life After SIDS." Jireh Publishing. Copyright September27, 2004.

Monica Cane is an author that writes fiction. This book shows how people can have strength after losing a baby to SIDS. I think a fictional book with a story of SIDS is important to understand the emtional value of my topic. This book is geared towards God for coping. Getting a wide range of understanding and perspectives is important for my research.

SIDS Monitor. "How to Prevent SIDS: SIDS Monitor." December 8, 2009. http://www.howtopreventsids.com/.

This is something I came across doing research, and is something I haven't heard of before. On this website there is a new monitor that monitors a baby while it is sleeping. If there is no movement after 15 seconds there will be a vibration to the baby and if in another 20 seconds there is no movement there will be a loud sound to alert the parents. This website is helpful because it's showing how technology can move forward with the prevention of SIDS.

Eds Roger W Byard, Henry F Kraus. Arnold. "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Problems, Progress and Possibilities." Copyright BJM 2001.

Byard and Arnold go way back in this book to get an indepth history of SIDS. A historical point of view is very important to have a complete understanding of how it was formulated that a general consenus was made that infants were dying suddenly. The aurthors provide detailed information from biblical times of what was then called "crib death" which is now known as SIDS.

RJA #9

RJA #9a: Thesis Statement–

Research Question
What causes SIDS?

Precise Claim
If a baby is going to die from SIDS there is nothing that is going to stop it.

Reasons/Blueprint
Low serotonin levels cannot be fixed or measured in an infant to tell if they could be a victim of SIDS.

Simply removing blankets and stuffed animals from the babies crib will not save your child from SIDS.

Although, a baby may seem perfectly normal and healthy, a baby that dies of SIDS differs in health from babies that survive the first year of life.

Complete Thesis

A baby that is going to die from SIDS cannot be prevented because of low serotonin levels in the brain and removing blankets and stuffed animals from a crib doesn't change anything.

RJA #9b: Argument–

Reseach Question
What causes SIDS?
Answer/Thesis/Claim
Much research has been conducted on SIDS and although there is no cure the most found explanation for SIDS is low serotonin levels in the brain of infants.

RJA #9c: Presentation Plan–

Although the cause of SIDS is still debateable there are many supporting facts on the fact that the similarities in infants dying from SIDS are low serotonin levels in the brain. Many believe that removing objects such as blankets, toys and stuffed animals from a crib while a baby is sleeping lowers the risk of SIDS. Also, babies that sleep on their back are less likely to die from SIDS. The highest risk babies die from SIDS are 2-4 months of age. Although, a baby can die from SIDS all the way up to 1 year of age. The low production of serotonin never amounts to the amount it needs to be at causing the baby to die without warning.

RJA #8

RJA #8a: Quotation, Paraphrase, and Summary

"The baby looks normal during the day; there's nothing that would tell you that baby is going to die of SIDS that night," says Kinney, who has studied SIDS for more than 20 years. "There's something about sleep that unmasks the defect, which we believe is in serotonin circuits: the baby experiences some kind of stress during sleep, such as rebreathing carbon dioxide in the face-down position or increased temperature from over-bundling, that cannot be compensated for by the defective brainstem circuits, and the baby then goes on to die."


The Children's Hospital in Boston has found that mishaps in the serotonin of babies has been linked to one of the causes of SIDS. "There's something about sleep...which we believe is in serotonin circuits: the baby experiences some kind of stress during sleep [which can include] rebreathing carbon dixoide...."

A baby that dies from SIDS will not show signs early in the day, the baby will appear to be perfectly fine. When a baby goes to fall asleep at night there can be several factors that can be cause for SIDS. The low serotonin levels can trigger a happenstance that brings the baby to die.

Research has shown that low serotonin levels can be a factor in why babies die from SIDS. Although, a baby can seem perfectly normal during the day when they doze off to bed that can trigger a time where the baby is overly dressed or blanketed causing the baby to overheat or being stuck on their stomach breathing in carbon dioxide. This can not be overcome because of the lack of serotonin the the brainstem which causes the baby to die.

RJA #8b: Evaluation Check-

http://carolpilk.blogspot.com/2010/03/rja-7a-evaluation-of-sources_2269.html#comment-form

http://playersyrita.blogspot.com/2010/03/rja-7a-evaluation-of-sources.html#comment-form