Babies spend a great deal of time sleeping. Parents and others who care for infants should be aware of ways they can help protect sleeping babies from injury and death.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the sudden unexplained death of an infant younger than 1 year of age. This syndrome is rare and its cause is unknown. However, there are measures you can take to help reduce the risk of SIDS and to prevent other injuries.
One of the most important things you can do to reduce the risk of SIDS is to put babies on their backs to sleep in a safe sleep environment.
Co-sleeping is not recommended. An infant sleeping in an adult bed is dangerous and can result in death. Sleeping with a baby is especially dangerous when the adult is impaired by alcohol, drugs or fatigue.
Take these other sleeping tips into consideration:
• Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night.
• Place your baby on a firm sleep surface, such as a safety-approved crib mattress, covered by a fitted sheet.
• Keep soft objects, toys and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area.
• Do not allow smoking around your baby.
• Keep your baby’s sleep area close to, but separate from, where you and others sleep.
• Consider using a clean, dry pacifier when placing your child down to sleep.
• Do not let your baby overheat during sleep.
• Avoid products that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS. Most have not been tested for effectiveness or safety.
FAST FACT: According to the Infant Death Center of Wisconsin, 15
Milwaukee children died from unsafe sleeping arrangements from January
2008 to June 2008.
Anne Harvieux is the program administrator for the Infant Death Center of Wisconsin. The center is a statewide program administered through Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.