FIMR (Fetal Infant Mortality Review)

Leslie Pearce, Healthy Start's FIMR Coordinator, organizes and conducts the committee meetings and communicates with Healthy Start's FIMR Abstractor. Healthy Start's FIMR Abstractor compiles a summary report by reviewing all available documentation in both the mother and child’s medical records from the physician's office and hospital, the medical examiner’s report, and vital statistics information from the Volusia County Health Department. In addition, Gladys Roman, a specially trained Healthy Start staff member, conducts a home visit and personal interview with the mother to develop a more complete picture of all of the factors and circumstances leading up to the death of the child. The FIMR Abstractor's report and the findings from the maternal interview process are then presented to the FIMR Case Review Team for a full review.

The reviews allow health professionals, support workers, and social service providers to jointly analyze each case from multiple perspectives simultaneously; and to collaboratively discuss strategies to help prevent reoccurrences of the same factors, in the same combinations, for future mothers. This process is critical in that it is often the only opportunity for all of the different providers surrounding a complicated case to come together and discuss the various needs and barriers that may have contributed to the tragic outcome. Crucial issues relating to the service system as a whole are often identified through the efforts of the FIMR Case Review Team.

Grief Counseling Services

Grief counseling services are available through the organizations below for anyone who has suffered the loss of an infant or child:

Hospice of Flagler/Volusia – 800-272-2717
Epiphany Catholic Church (Bonnie Stevenson) 386-689-2283
Begin Again Children's Grief Center 386-258-5100
Compassionate Friends (Loss of child or sibling)386-747-4373

Bedsharing vs Cosleeping (Roomsharing)

It is important to differentiate between the terms "cosleeping" (roomsharing) and "bedsharing". The Canadian Paediatric Society's position statement defines bedsharing as a sleeping arrangement in which the baby shares the same sleeping surface with another person. Bedsharing has been linked to unexpected infant deaths. Cosleeping (roomsharing) refers to a sleeping arrangement in which an infant is within arm's reach of his or her mother, but not on the same sleeping surface. That means the baby is sleeping in the same room (i.e. roomsharing), but not in the same bed.

Click here to see Canadian Paediatric Society's position statement on safe and unsafe sleeping environments.

A report released in June, 2007 by the Pediatric Death Review Committee (PDRC) of Ontario's Office of the Chief Coroner , indicated that 21 children died from unsafe sleeping environments in the province in 2005, up from 16 a year earlier. Of the 21 deaths, 11 involved bedsharing with an adult or sibling and 10 involved an unsafe sleeping environment (adult bed, couch, crib with extra bedding, pillows, toys). The PDRC urges Children's Aid Societies, public health departments, maternity wards and other agencies to develop and/or continue their education efforts on unsafe sleeping environments for new families. Click here for the full report.