PITTSBORO — October 1 marked the beginning of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, and the Chatham County Public Health Department and Chatham County Department of Social Services are encouraging all Chatham County parents and caregivers to learn and take the right steps to prevent SIDS in their children by practicing safe sleep habits.
In its annual review of child deaths in Chatham County, the Chatham Community Child Fatality Prevention Team (CFPT) pinpointed SIDS and unsafe sleep as an area of concern as one of the leading preventable causes of infant deaths. From 2012 to 2018, 911 North Carolina infant deaths were associated with unsafe sleep environments or SIDS.
This release, along with upcoming social media posts and community education efforts, are part of the county’s response to increase public awareness about this issue.
“Safe sleep is one of the most important ways to prevent bad outcomes for newborns and infants,” said Chatham County Public Health Director Mike Zelek. “As the parent of a young child, I understand how difficult it can be to figure out what the best approach is. During SIDS Awareness Month, I hope the resources and information we share can help answer some of the questions new parents and caregivers have.”
The CCPT wants to share the following recommendations with the Chatham community for promoting safe sleep among babies and infants:
• Babies should sleep on a firm and flat surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, that is free of loose and soft items such as toys, crib bumpers, and blankets.
• Keep your baby’s sleep area (for example, a crib or bassinet) in the same room where you sleep — until your baby is at least 6 months old, or ideally, until your baby is 1 year old — in a separate safe sleep area made just for baby (such as a safety-approved crib next to your bed).
• Put your baby to sleep on his or her back for all sleep times, whether it’s a nap or at night.
• Offer your baby a pacifier at nap time and bedtime.
• Avoid falling asleep with your baby, especially on a couch or sofa where they can slip down (face first) into the crevice or get wedged against the back of a couch where they may suffocate.
For more tips and best practices, visit https://www.cdc.gov/sids/Parents-Caregivers.htm.
“Sleep deprivation is a challenge that all new parents face,” said Jennie Kristiansen, Director of the Chatham County Department of Social Services. “Planning ahead to ensure that everyone who will be providing care for a new baby knows where babies should and shouldn’t sleep is important. This knowledge and proper planning can make all the difference in keeping infants safe during this critical period of development.”
The CCPT is an interdisciplinary group with a community-wide approach to the problem of child abuse and neglect. The group originally began as two teams, a Community Child Protection Team and a Child Fatality Prevention Team, before merging in 2018 to review child abuse and neglect cases along with any cases of child fatality in the county. The team features 21 members from various public and private agencies including the Chatham County Public Health Department, Chatham County Department of Social Services, Communities in Schools of Chatham County, El Futuro, Chatham County Child Victim Services, and the District Attorney’s office.
To learn more about the Chatham County Public Health Department, visit www.chathamcountync.gov/publichealth or www.facebook.com/chathamhealth.