TOLEDO, Ohio — October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, Awareness month.
According to Mayo Clinic, SIDS is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.
More than 1 out of 3 unexpected infant deaths that occur in the United States each year are from SIDS. The cause of SIDS is unknown, but research shows it might be associated with defects in the part of the baby's brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep.
A parent's worst nightmare is that something bad will happen to their baby. The good news is, there are things parents and caregivers can do to reduce the risk of SIDS or other sleep-related infant deaths.
Health educators recommend using the "ABC's" for creating a safe sleep environment for babies:
- A - Alone. The safest way for babies to sleep is alone in their own bed with no toys or pillows to reduce the risk of suffocation.
- B - Back. Babies should always be placed to sleep on their back every time they are laid down to sleep.
- C - Crib. Babies should only sleep on a firm, flat surface.
Health educator Melissa Ianier with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department says if you don't have access to a crib, there are other household items you can use that would work in a pinch.
"I would not suggest putting the baby on a couch or on an adult bed, but we would suggest a floor or a firm, flat surface. Maybe that would be a blanket on the floor, or possibly putting the baby in a laundry basket or a drawer, just short-term while you're at an event. Then when you go home, baby should be sleeping in the crib or bassinet or pack-and-play," Ianier said.
Other suggestions include offering your baby a pacifier and not overheating your baby.
For more information on safe sleep education, visit the health department's website.