About 3,500 babies in the United States are lost due to sleep-related deaths each year, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation, and deaths from unknown causes
“Unfortunately, too many babies in this country are lost to sleep-related deaths that might be prevented,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “We must do more to ensure every family knows the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations – babies should sleep on their backs, without any toys or soft bedding, and in their own crib. Parents are encouraged to share a room with the baby, but not the same bed. These strategies will help reduce the risk and protect our babies from harm.”
The Irving Police Department is requesting that parents with infants review safety guidelines due to the following tragic events, "Last week two Irving families were forever impacted by an accidental death of a small child. In one incident, the parent fell asleep with the child on the couch and the child got stuck between the couch cushions. In the second incident, the infant child was sleeping in the bed with the parent and rolled between the mattress and wall. In both situations, the child tragically suffocated to death."
Here are some safety guidelines to follow:
- A baby's neck muscles are weak. Be sure to support the baby's head at all times to avoid serious injury or even death.
- Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times—naps and at night. Babies who sleep on their backs are much less likely to die of SIDS than babies who sleep on their sides or stomachs.
- Use a firm, flat sleep surface, such as a mattress. A firm sleep surface helps reduce the risk of SIDS and suffocation.
- Never share the bed with the baby. Accidental suffocation or strangulation can happen if the baby sleeps in your bed.
- Don't cover your baby’s head or allow your baby to get too hot.
- Never keep the baby on a sofa, couch, or cushioned chair, either alone or sleeping with another person.
- If you are feeding your baby and think that there's even the slightest possibility that you may fall asleep, feed your baby on your bed, rather than a sofa or cushioned chair.
