A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics titled “Characteristics of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths on Shared and Nonshared Sleep Surfaces” has revealed some concerning trends in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases.
The study analyzed a CDC database of 7,595 recorded SIDS cases from the period of 2011 to 2020. The data indicated that the majority of fatalities occurred in infants under 3 months old.
Findings revealed that 59.5% of the infants who passed away were sharing a sleep surface, and 75.9% were in an adult bed at the time of death. Soft bedding was prevalent among all the deceased infants.
Dr. Fern Hauck, a senior researcher and safe-sleep expert at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, expressed concern about the high number of risky sleep behaviors observed in both infants sharing a sleep surface and those sleeping alone.
The study identified several hazardous sleep practices including bed-sharing, sleeping with suffocation hazards, sleeping in non-recommended positions, and sleeping outside a crib.
To mitigate these risks, sleep experts advocate for infants to sleep alone on their backs in a crib with only a fitted sheet. Hauck emphasized the importance of educating new parents on safe sleep practices before discharge from the hospital and providing ongoing support and guidance.
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