Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Prevention Tips from Baby Sleeps Safe for SIDS Awareness Day on April 24th
American SIDS Institute Celebrates SIDS Awareness Day on April 24th.
Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) April 15, 2009
Having a baby is a wonderful experience that can be rewarding and challenging at the same time. New parents must learn to master an array of skills from feeding and burping to changing diapers and getting their little one ready for bed. While many parents are most preoccupied with activities that take place while their infant is awake, it is also very important to be vigilant while babies are asleep. Parents must educate themselves about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of deaths in infants, as it claims the lives of more than 2,000 sleeping babies each year.
"Parents must be informed about the very real risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the various precautions they can take to significantly impact their infant's vulnerability to this tragic occurrence," states Baby Sleeps Safe President Dr. Vicki Folds, Ed. D., a renowned child development expert with more than 35 years of hands-on and research experience.
What is SIDS?
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden and unexplained death of a sleeping infant under one year of age. In most situations, infants show no physical signs of distress and are perfectly healthy. Ninety percent of all SIDS fatalities occur before an infant reaches six months of age.
What can you do for your baby?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following measures that may help to prevent SIDS:
Place infants on their backs to sleep. As sleeping preference is a learned behavior, parents should consider using products such as Baby Sleeps Safe, a two-piece infant safety product that keeps babies sleeping safely and securely on their backs, to ensure their baby is comfortable with the position. Do not place your infant to sleep in your bed. Instead, bring the crib into your room until your baby is at least six months old. Make sure the crib has a firm mattress and avoid soft surfaces. Remove blankets, bumpers, toys or pillows. Overheating an infant is a risk for SIDS. Clothe your infant to keep him warm, but avoid too many layers or warm room temperatures. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests placing an oscillating fan in the room to help circulation and cooling of air. Offer your infant a pacifier. Studies have shown a lower rate of SIDS with infants who use pacifiers. Breast-feed your infant whenever possible. Natural milk decreases the likelihood of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, known to contribute to SIDS risk.
About Dr. Vicki Folds, Ed. D.
Dr. Vicki Folds is president of Baby Sleeps Safe, an infant sleep safety product that keeps babies sleeping securely on their backs. She is one of the nation's leading child development experts with 35 years of hands-on and research experience and several published childcare books including "Tray Tasking" and "Three Step Tray Tasking." Dr. Folds is currently on the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) Consulting Editors Panel and reviews articles for its Young Children Journal as well as future books for publication.
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