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You can help reduce your patients’ risk of dying in an unsafe sleep environment!
New Policy Statement: On Monday, October 24, 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics released an updated policy statement and technical report on safe sleep guidelines to reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths. “SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2016 Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment,” draws on new research and serves as the first update to Academy policy since 2011.
AAP recommendations on creating a safe sleep environment include:
- Place the baby on his or her back on a firm sleep surface such as a crib or bassinet with a tight-fitting sheet.
- Avoid use of soft bedding, including crib bumpers, blankets, pillows and soft toys. The crib should be bare.
- Share a bedroom with parents, but not the same sleeping surface, preferably until the baby turns 1 but at least for the first six months. Room-sharing decreases the risk of SIDS by as much as 50 percent.
- Avoid baby’s exposure to smoke, alcohol and illicit drugs.
A Safe Sleep Environment – Help Families Understand What It Looks Like:
Resources for You and Your Patients
- Great Handouts for Families And Caregivers
- Summaries of the Problem and Recommendations
- Additional Research
Links for Additional Safe Sleep Education and Resources
- Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Safe Sleep Resources
- ODH Infant Safe Sleep PSA
- HealthyChildren.org – Safe Sleep
- Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign
- Cribs for Kids
- First Candle
- Charlie’s Kids
- Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality
Testimonials
- All infants are at risk: urban, rural and suburban; white, black and other races; bottle-fed and breastfed; rich and poor. These videos feature the stories of parents who were affected by SIDS in central Ohio and nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Safe Sleep, provided by Ohio AAP Injury Prevention Co-Medical Director and mother of three, Dr. Sarah Denny.
Please complete the form below to contacted by the Ohio AAP with additional information on how you can be involved in Safe Sleep Initiatives.

← Click here to return to Safe Sleep Homepage.