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October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Month

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         Recently CDC announced that October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness month, and to that very important end, below are CDC’s tips to parents and caregivers to create a safe sleep environment for their infants and young children. Here are the tips and all the credit for this post goes to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control:

How to Create a Safe Sleep Environment

CDC supports the 2016 recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to reduce the risk of all sleep-related infant deaths, including SIDS. See How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained to learn more about these and other actions.

  1. Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times—for naps and at night. Some parents may be concerned that a baby who sleeps on his or her back will choke if he or she spits up during sleep. However, babies’ anatomy and gag reflex will prevent them from choking while sleeping on their backs. Babies who sleep on their backs are much less likely to die of SIDS than babies who sleep on their sides or stomachs.

Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times—for naps and at night.

  1. Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib or bassinet, covered only by a fitted sheet. Some parents might feel like they should place their baby on a soft surface, such as memory foam, to help him or her to be more comfortable while sleeping. However, soft surfaces can increase the risk of sleep-related death. A firm sleep surface helps reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation.
  2. Have the baby share your room, not your bed. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else. Some parents may feel like they should share their bed with their baby to help them feel more connected. However, accidental suffocation, strangulation, and wedging (for example, being stuck between two objects such as a mattress and a wall) can happen when a baby is sleeping in an adult bed or other unsafe sleep surfaces. Room sharing is much safer than bed sharing and may decrease the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%.
  3. Keep soft objects, such as pillows and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area. Some parents may feel they should add soft objects to their baby’s crib to help keep their baby warm and comfortable while sleeping. However, soft objects and loose bedding, like stuffed toys, sheets, comforters, and blankets, can increase the risk of suffocation and other sleep-related deaths. If you’re worried about your baby getting cold during sleep, you can dress her or him in sleep clothing (like a wearable blanket) to keep your baby warm.
  4. Do not allow smoking around your baby. Smoke in the baby’s surroundings is a major risk factor for SIDS. Quitting smoking can be hard, but it is one of the best ways parents and caregivers can protect their health and their baby’s health. For help in quitting, call the quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) or visit smokefree.gov.

 

Author: Marianne Halterman

Marianne is a member of the SafeKids Coalition of the Central Shenandoah Valley.

BeSafeChild.org is an informational site devoted to keeping children safe and informing parents, family members and caregivers of current issues affecting child health and safety.