January 30, 2002
Unsafe Bed Sharing, Sleeping Practices Linked To Infant Deaths
INDIANAPOLIS - Unsafe bed sharing and sleeping practices are needlessly
resulting in the deaths of infants in Marion County and the numbers for
2002 are alarmingly high, officials say.
Marion County Coroner John McGoff, M.D., says infant deaths related to
unsafe sleeping practices have reached "epidemic" proportions
in the Indianapolis area.
"Most Hoosiers aren't aware of the fact we have an epidemic in Marion
County. We've already had five preventable infant deaths in the first
three weeks of this year due to co-sleeping or unsafe sleeping arrangements
with family members," said Dr. McGoff. "At this rate, we'll
have 83 infant deaths before the end of the year. This is simply intolerable."
The coroner's office and the Marion County Child Fatality Review Team
want to draw attention to this potentially deadly problem and educate
parents and infant caretakers to the dangers associated with unsafe sleeping
practices.
"We're seeing a consistent and large number of infant deaths related
to unsafe sleeping and bed-sharing practices," said Roberta Hibbard,
M.D., medical director of the Marion County Fatality Review Team. Dr.
Hibbard also serves as director of Child Protection Programs at Riley
Hospital for Children and is a professor of pediatrics at the Indiana
University School of Medicine.
The Marion County Child Fatality Review Team reviews all deaths of children
under age 15 that occur in the county. The multi-disciplinary volunteer
team is comprised of representatives from area law enforcement, public
health, social services and hospitals.
In Marion County in 2001, there were 15 infant deaths due to suffocation
while sleeping. Of those, 13 deaths were associated with unsafe sleeping
conditions. Two of the 13 babies were suffocated when someone sleeping
with them rolled on top of the infant.
From 1995 to 2000, 69 infants died in unsafe sleeping circumstances in
Marion County. These circumstances include an infant who suffocated when
his head became wedged between cushions of a couch; an infant that died
when a 3-year-old sibling rolled on top of him in an adult bed; an infant
who suffocated when his twin rolled on top of him; an infant who died
sleeping on a pillow in his parent's bed; and a child who suffocated with
his face in his crib pillow.
Deborah Givan, M.D., medical director of Riley Hospital for Children's
Sleep Laboratory and a professor of pediatric pulmonology at the Indiana
University School of Medicine, says that the sleeping position of an infant
as well as where the child sleeps is critical to infant safety.
"Since the initiation of the American Academy of Pediatrics 'Back
to Sleep' campaign, the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has
decreased by half in Indiana and the nation. Recognition of unsafe conditions
and positions have played a major role," said Dr. Givan.
She also cautions that SIDS and sleeping disorders in infants and children
can be exacerbated by tobacco smoke.
"No one should smoke anywhere a baby lives or where a baby is going
to be," Dr. Givan said.
Dr. Givan, chairman of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Council Advisory
Board of the Indiana State Department of Health, and Barbara Himes, SIDS
and Infant Loss Support Coordinator for the Indiana Perinatal Network,
said parents and child care providers should be aware that sleeping on
the stomach, smoke, premature birth and over-heating while sleeping increase
the risk for SIDS.
Dr. Givan said an outreach effort to the African American community is
needed since the mortality rate of black infants from SIDS is twice that
of the Caucasian population.
"No one wants to think or talk about babies dying, but health care
professionals need to educate new and expectant parents, grandparents
and child care providers on the importance of current recommendations
and guidelines to safeguard sleeping infants," said Ms. Himes.
Conditions considered unsafe for infant sleeping include co-sleeping;
soft bedding or stuffed animals in the crib; placing a baby on a waterbed
or bean bag chair; infant sleeping bags made from non-porous materials;
or placing the child on adult beds, couches, chairs or other non-firm
surfaces.
Infants should sleep on their backs in a crib that is sturdy and well
maintained. Pillows and bumper pads should be avoided and cribs should
have tight-fitting mattresses and sheets.
Airway obstruction (suffocation, choking and strangulation) is the leading
cause of injury related death for infants younger than age one nationwide,
according to National SAFE KIDS.
In response to these recurring patterns of infant deaths, the Marion County
Child Fatality Review Team has developed an educational brochure that
informs families about the dangers of bed sharing with infants and young
children and encourages families to plan sleeping arrangements carefully
to avoid tragic outcomes. Single camera-ready copies of the brochure are
available to organizations and to families from the Marion County Child
Fatality Review Team by calling 317-274-2964, or by accessing www.rileyforkids.org.
The Indiana Perinatal Network is developing a safe sleeping brochure which
can be downloaded at www.indianaperinatal.org/Images/safesleeping.pdf.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has information available on their
"Back to Sleep" campaign at www.aap.org.
Two Indiana groups are involved in providing safe cribs for infants: the
SIDS Center of Indiana's Beds for Babies campaign, 1-887-507-SIDS, and
the Indianapolis Child Protection Center at the IU Medical Center, 317-630-6307.
# # #
Media Contact: Mary Hardin
317-274-7722
mhardin@iupui.edu
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
A STATEWIDE
RESOURCE
Phone
317 274 7722
Fax
317 278 8722