Announcement
SIDS Awareness Month
October 3, 2007

October is SIDS Awareness Month 

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexpected death of a seemingly healthy infant under one year of age that seems to have happened for no reason.  Because many SIDS babies are found in their cribs, some people call SIDS “crib death.” But, cribs do not cause SIDS and it doesn't always happen in a baby's crib.

Since the national Back To Sleep Campaign was launched in 1994, SIDS rates have declined by more than 50%; however, it remains the leading cause of death in infants, and still claims the lives of over 2,000 babies each year. 

While SIDS occurs in all socio-economic, racial and ethnic groups, African American and Native American babies are 2-3 times more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian babies.

There is no known way to prevent SIDS in all cases, but there are steps parents and caregivers can take to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

Steps to Reduce the Risk of SIDS:

• Place your baby to sleep on his or her back at nap and nighttime. 
• Do not smoke while you are pregnant and don’t let anyone smoke around your baby after it’s born. 
• Use a safety-approved crib with a firm, tight fitting mattress covered with only a sheet. 
• Remove all soft, fluffy or loose bedding & toys (including blankets, soft or fluffy bumpers and positioners). 
• Do not put your baby to sleep on any soft surface (sofas, chairs, waterbeds, quilts, blankets, sheepskins, etc.). 
• Room sharing is safer than bed sharing. 
• Do not dress your baby too warm for sleep; keep room temperature 68 - 72o F. 
• Educate relatives, baby-sitters and other caregivers about these important safety tips.

More SIDS Resources

First Candle

SID Network of Ohio 

Ten Steps to Healthier, Safer Children (PDF)

Franklin County Infant Safe Sleep and SIDS Risk Reduction Task Force - (614)645-2134

The Council on Healthy Mothers and Babies