Press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: December 12, 2006
Media Contact:
Vivian Muzyk
(919) 828-1819

10 Tips To Promote Infant Safe Sleep

Accidental Infant Death on the Rise in North Carolina

December 13, 2006 - (Raleigh, NC) - The tragic deaths of two infants in Rowan County possibly linked to their sleeping environments draws attention to the sobering statistic that accidental infant deaths in unsafe sleep situations are on the rise in North Carolina. From 2001-2005, 79 infant deaths due to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed and associated with bed linens, pillows or bed sharing occurred in 34 counties. In 2005 alone there were 26 such deaths according to the State Center for Health Statistics. These accidental infant deaths are preventable.

Infant safe sleep recommendations can also help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the state's third leading cause of infant mortality overall. It is the leading cause of death for babies 1-12 months of age and accounted for 10 percent of all infant deaths last year.  In 2005, 105 infants died suddenly and unexpectedly, mirroring the trend of approximately 100 SIDS deaths in the state each year. Bed sharing has been linked to more than half of these SIDS deaths in 2005.  The North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation and the statewide N.C. Back To Sleep campaign are dedicated to promoting infant safe sleep and offer the following guidelines to help reduce SIDS risks and prevent accidental infant death.

10 Steps to Promote Infant Sleep Safety and to Reduce the Risk of SIDS

1. Place babies to sleep on their backs for naps and at nighttime, not on their tummies or sides. Remember "stomach to play, back to sleep"for baby's healthy development and to lower SIDS risks.
2. Give the protection of a crib and make sure babies don't sleep on sofas or in beds with others.  Let the infant sleep in a crib or bassinet near the parent'’s bed.
3. Use a firm mattress that fits and has no gap between it and the frame of the crib.
4. Use a fitted sheet that is the right size for the mattress and tuck blankets in.
5. Do not use bumper pads, sleep position wedges, or pillows in the crib.
6. Keep toys and fluffy blankets out of the crib while baby sleeps.
7. Make sure the baby's room is in the safe temperature range of 68°F to 75°F; using a thermometer in the baby's room can help.
8. Position the crib away from the heat vent.
9. Prevent overheating by layering the baby's clothes and not overdressing them.
10. Keep all cigarette smoke away from pregnant women and all babies.

"The safest place for a baby to sleep is in a crib on his or her back," says Janice Freedman, Executive Director of the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation. "While the exact cause of SIDS is not entirely clear, we know that a safe sleep environment can greatly reduce the risk of SIDS. Parents and others who care for babies can also help to prevent the tragedy of accidental deaths among sleeping infants by adopting safe sleep practices."

What is SIDS?
SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby less than one year old. SIDS is diagnosed only after a death scene investigation, a review of the infant's medical history. It is a diagnosis of exclusion determined only after other causes of death are ruled out.

Why Does SIDS Happen?
The exact cause of SIDS remains unknown. As a syndrome, there may be multiple causes. Researchers are studying babies' genes, their physical development, and their sleep surroundings to better understand what causes SIDS. What we do know the following:

• SIDS is most common between two and three months of age
• SIDS claims more boys than girls
• SIDS occurs more often among African American babies than white babies
• SIDS can happen to any family
• Tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy and after the baby is born is a significant risk factor for SIDS
• Drinking alcohol during pregnancy increases the risks of SIDS

What Do the Experts Say?
On average, during the first weeks of life newborns spend 16 hours a day, or 66 percent of their time, sleeping. Placing infants "wholly" or completely on their backs for sleeping is the single most important step that parents and caregivers can take to lower the chances of SIDS. The side sleeping position is not recommended because babies could roll onto their stomachs—the riskiest sleep position for SIDS. 

In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) started recommending "Back to Sleep" for babies.   Since 1994, SIDS rates have dropped more than 50 percent nationwide.

For FREE educational materials from the N.C. Back to Sleep Campaign on safe sleep practices in English and Spanish, log on to www.NCHealthyStart.org.

###

The N.C. Healthy Start Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in 1990, conducts ongoing public education campaigns, advises state and local policy makers, and provides technical assistance and professional training focused on reducing infant death and illness and improving the health of women and young children in N.C.

Back to Press Release list

Back to top