The number of unexpected infant deaths in part of South Dakota increased last year. A committee that examines infant and child deaths says in 2015 seven infants died unexpectedly during sleep compared to five the two previous years.
The Regional Infant and Child Mortality Review Committee looks at the deaths of children and infants in 10 counties in Eastern South Dakota. In 2015, 80 children died in the region. The committee reviewed 24 of those deaths.
Ann Wilson is a professor of Pediatrics at USD.
“As you recall two years ago the story was adolescent suicide. Fortunately, that number was a blip on the screen and that number has gone down in the last two years. This year the story has been that spike in unexpected infant deaths. We’ve always paid attention to that, but this year, unlike previous years we saw a spike- it was higher than it’s been in a number of years. For that reason we’re capturing the theme for education once again the notion of safe sleep,” says Wilson.
Wilson says in each of the cases, there were risk factors in the infant’s sleeping environment. Jim Sideras is Chief of the Sioux Falls Fire Rescue. He says new parents need to constantly be reminded about how to safety put a baby in a crib.
“One of the key things people really need to realize with children is that, and what we’re strongly advocating as safe sleep for babies, meaning the baby is put sleep on their back, a firm horizontal flat surface for the baby, and no materials in the sleeping space. So bumpers, afghans, padding, all those should be avoided with infants. There are a number of reasons for that, but this is the best way and the safest way to have a child put to sleep,” says Sideras.
Sideras says if parents don’t have a crib, an empty drawer set on the floor is much safer than laying a baby on a bed or sofa.