CONTACT
Julie Naughton, Office of Communications, (402) 471-1695 (office); (402) 405-7202 (cell);
julie.naughton@nebraska.gov
Lincoln – More than 1 out of 3 of sudden unexpected infant deaths that occur in the United States each year are from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Although the rates of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths have decreased over the years, there is still more work to do. This awareness month and beyond, advocates and infant caregivers can join Safe to Sleep and its partners to encourage safe infant sleep and help raise awareness about SIDS.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) is the death of an infant younger than 1 year of age that occurs suddenly and unexpectedly. After a full investigation, these deaths may be diagnosed as suffocation, entrapment, ingestion, infection or arrhythmias. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is one type of a SUID; it is the sudden death of an infant younger than 1 year of age that cannot be explained even after a full investigation that includes a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history.
The Division of Public Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) offers many programs dedicated to reducing infant deaths – the Nebraska Safe Babies Campaign and the SIDS/Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID) investigative training.
The Safe Babies Campaign, launched in 2017, focuses on infant safe sleep and abusive head trauma/shaken baby syndrome education for parents of newborns. More than 96 percent of birthing hospitals in Nebraska participate in the program. Each champion hospital has to complete five steps to become a champion hospital, including pledging to complete the steps, developing or updating a Safe Sleep Policy, providing hospital personnel education, providing patient/client education, and complete internal audits on safe sleep, noted Jackie Moline, maternal infant health program manager for the Division of Public Health. Started as a focus in the hospital, the training is now being spread to the OB/GYN, pediatric, and family practice settings. The campaign also outlines why violent shaking can cause severe injuries in newborns: their heads are heavy and large in proportion to their body size, they have weak neck muscles, they have fragile, undeveloped brains, and there is a large size and strength difference between the child and the adult.
The Division of Public Health is in the final stages of developing a training for first responders, law enforcement, district attorneys/ coroners on a SUID Investigation Training – what to do when there has been a SIDS/SUID death.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers guidance on how parents can create a safe sleep environment for their babies.
What You Can Do:
- Place your baby to sleep on his/her back for every sleep. Babies up to 1 year of age should always be placed on their back to sleep during naps and at night. However, if your baby has rolled from their back to their side or stomach independently, they can be left in that position if they are already able to roll from tummy to back and back to tummy.
- If your baby falls asleep in a car safety seat, stroller, swing, infant carrier, or infant sling, he/she should be moved to a firm sleep surface as soon as possible.
- Swaddling (wrapping a light blanket snugly around a baby) may help calm a crying baby. However, if you swaddle your baby before placing him/her on their back to sleep, stop swaddling if they start trying to roll.
- Place your baby to sleep on a firm, flat sleep surface. Do not place your baby to sleep on an inclined sleep surface. Cover the mattress with a fitted sheet and do not put blankets or pillows between the mattress and fitted sheet.
- Keep soft objects, loose bedding, or any objects that could increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation out of the crib. Pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, bumper pads, and stuffed toys can cause your baby to suffocate.
- Keep your baby away from smokers and places where people smoke. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS.
- Do not let your baby get too hot. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS. Keep the room where your baby sleeps at a comfortable temperature. In general, dress your baby in no more than one extra layer than you would wear. Your baby may be too hot if she is sweating or if her chest feels hot.
- Offer a pacifier at nap time and bedtime. This helps reduce the risk of SIDS. If you are breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is going well before offering a pacifier. This usually takes 3 to 4 weeks. If you are not breastfeeding, you can start a pacifier as soon as you like. Do not use pacifiers that are attached to objects, such as stuffed toys and other items that may be a suffocation or choking risk.