October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome awareness month. WNIN’s Tim Jagielo spoke with both the Green River District Health Department’s Merritt Bates-Thomas and Vanderburgh County Health Department’s Lynn Herr about Safe Sleep and protecting infants from SIDS.
Tim Jagielo
So for this month we're talking about SIDS, or sudden infant death. What did these terms mean? And why are we talking about this in October — and Merritt, if you'd like to talk about that first?
Merritt Bates-Thomas
Sure. So October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month. It can also be known as S-U-I-D, which is Sudden Unexpected Infant Death. And that’s simply a death that has no real cause or can't be determined before further investigation. And it happens in infants less than a year of age.
Lynn Herr
With sudden unexpected infant death, there's usually a cause behind it — some unsafe sleep practices. It could be even a cardiac arrest for some exposure with congenital heart disease that went undetected; there's a reason behind it.
MBT
The Centers for Disease Control reports that approximately 3,400 infants die annually across the country, from SUID. And within the state of Kentucky, the most recent statistics show that there were 92 deaths within the state. And that was up from 54 deaths the previous year.
LH
For Vanderburgh County, in 2023, we do have six deaths related to unsafe sleep.
TJ
And that leads us to 'Safe Sleep.' That was one of the big topics he wanted to talk about. So can you outline Safe Sleep?
MBT
So there's the ABCD ease of Safe Sleep, with ‘A’ being ‘alone’ — alone in their bassinet or their crib. ‘B’ is on the ‘back.’ That's the safest position for the infant to be in. Once they begin to reach an age, as they close in on one year where they're turning, they're better able to manipulate their bodies and get into comfortable positions. But starting out on the back; ’C’ is in the crib.
‘D’ is where the adult is not distracted or perhaps otherwise impaired. So that means not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but definitely not distracted from the care and the focus is on the infant.
And then ‘E’ is probably the newest addition, and that's ‘exit the bed’ for the mom or dad. But for the mom when breastfeeding and for either parent when they're bottle feeding, simply because it can be such a comfortable position.
And I think one of the things people think of is 'oh, I can just stay in the bed, nurse the baby or feed the baby while I'm still here.'
But there can be a tendency then, for that adult to drift off and go to sleep and that's where you can end up with the accidental suffocation.
TJ
What's one of the more important items in the ABCDE that people should remember?
LH
Well, I think making sure that when you're caring for your infant that you are not distracted, that you're really focusing on their whereabouts. There are a lot of marketed kind of sleeping additives like different things that people advertise for 'Safe Sleep,' that really aren't Safe Sleep at all.
And those things are fine as long as you're awake and you're looking at your baby. Just something as simple as a Boppy— everybody has one of those. And we have seen unsafe sleep deaths related to those things that have been on the market.”
TJ
What are some common misconceptions about Safe Sleep?
LH
That it's ‘not going to happen to me,’ that it's 'okay to sleep with my baby,' that it's acceptable to let them lay on your chest when you're sleeping. Or if you fall asleep, and then roll, we've had that happen as well. So just making sure that that baby is on its own surface.
MBT
…and the causes in many of these cases are preventable. And what we've learned through the years is to begin to apply these and they think it's applied only to parents. But for grandparents, for caregivers, those of us who've raised our children, and we're now caring for grandchildren at times, it's important for us to be in the know around the newer guidance, because things are not the way they were when we raised our children.
And it's very easy to think, ‘well, I raised my children, everything turned out fine, I know what I'm doing,’ and revert to an older out-of-step practice, I think it's important we get in step with the practices, and be mindful of being in the know around keeping our grandchildren and the infants that we might be caring for safe.”
TJ
Why is it safer to lay them in the back instead of stomach?
LH
The esophagus actually lays behind the trachea, and so when you're laying on your back, the infant is more likely, if it spits up for that formula of that breast milk to go back down their esophagus. If they're laying on their belly, then that trachea is forward and it could go directly down inside the trachea.
TJ
Do you have any tips on how to maybe talk to grandparents about this? Because if you're a young parent, how do you talk to your own parents about ‘well, actually, I know that we survived childhood, but this is what they're suggesting now’ — how do you suggest broaching that topic?
MBT
Well, I think for Lynn, myself, we're in the know, because of the work we do. It can be challenging, but it's a conversation that really needs to be had with anyone providing care for your infant. So just simply going through demonstrating, maybe spending some time with that sitter or grandparent is they provide the care — not to shadow over them and make them feel uncomfortable. But to simply guide them in the steps reassure them, as to why it's important.
LH
The American Academy of Pediatrics has some great things on their website. I think everybody kind of trusts their pediatrician. And that is a great resource of information around Safe Sleep.
TJ
Is there anything else you suggest?
MBT
I think the other key thing (is that) so many times products come on the market, and they're touted as something that could be used to provide a safe sleeping environment for your infant.
So checking with the Consumer Product Safety Commission around products as they're introduced to see if they have a rating to see how they're touted, read reviews.
Just because it's on the market doesn't mean you absolutely have to have it. Sleep sacks are one of the things I know that's made infant sleep safer and much more comfortable for the infant where they're just slipped into their little sleepy and it provides a nice snug warm environment for them, but they're free of any other bedding other than the tightly fitted sheet in the crib.
TJ
Lynn, anything else you want to add about Safe Sleep or about SIDS Awareness month?
LH
Here in Vanderburgh County, unfortunately, it is the second leading cause of infant death right behind perinatal risk, so that's a little bit higher than the state average. So we're really as a health department concentrating on Safe Sleep and infant death. And what we can do — is like Merritt said — this is a preventable cause … this is something as a community we can make a difference with.
Support independent journalism today. You rely on WNIN to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Give to grow our local reporting today. Donate now.