Almost a year ago, Angie Petersen received a phone call that her son didn’t wake up from his afternoon nap and was on his way to the emergency room.   Petersen and her husband, Tim, rushed from their jobs to the Omaha hospital, where they learned that their 4-month-old son — Brody Dayne Petersen — had died.   Brody was found Nov. 5 on his back, unresponsive in a crib after a nap at his day-care provider. The parents later were told the Brody had died from sudden infant death syndrome.   “It was pretty much our worst nightmare,” Angie Petersen said. “It’s something you wouldn’t wish on any parent.”   The next few days were a haze, she said, as they struggled to comprehend the loss. The family, which includes now-4-year-old Beau, found support from other family members and close friends.  To honor Brody, the Petersens donated a portion of the memorials the family received to their church, Rejoice Lutheran Church. The couple also bought books and toys for the church at 2556 S. 138th St. and gave money to the Nebraska SIDS Foundation.  The church used the donation to commission a series of murals in its nursery as a special way for the Petersens to honor Brody.   Long ago, said the Rev. Ken Wittrock, pastor of Rejoice Lutheran, stories were taught through art and stained-glass windows. Such visual learning remains a powerful way to teach children, he said.   The floor-to-ceiling murals, completed this summer, depict Bible stories. They were painted by Omaha artist Richard Harrison.   The church has two nursery areas; one room’s murals illustrate stories from the Old Testament, the other room the New Testament.   This past year without Brody has been difficult for the Petersens.   In January, they will welcome a new baby. Angie is due to deliver a boy.   “The hope of having the new addition has helped,” she said. “That gives us something positive to look to.” 
Contact the writer:
444-3198, chip.olsen@owh.com

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
 October is SIDS awareness month.   SIDS cases usually occur in children younger than 12 months.  Each year, more than 4,500 infants die suddenly in the United States. Half of these deaths are defined as SIDS cases.  In 2008, the Nebraska SIDS Foundation reported nine SIDS deaths in the state. So far this year, the office has handled reports of 13 cases.   Laura Wilwerding, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, tells parents there is no 100 percent safe environment for a baby. But she offers this advice:
 

  Newborns should always sleep on their backs in a crib and in close proximity to their parents for about six months.
  Breast-feeding and pacifiers help reduce SIDS by waking babies and keeping babies from achieving a deep sleep pattern.
  Fans circulating air around the child’s room could help prevent SIDS, some research suggests, because it’s important that babies don’t get too warm while sleeping.
 

Reprinted with permission