The Mississippi State Department of Health recently announced a new opportunity to reduce SIDS and sleep related infant deaths in Mississippi. Sleep related deaths including suffocations and roll-over accidents are the leading causes of infant death after the first month of life.
Mississippi has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation and many of these SIDS and sleep related deaths are preventable. In honor of SIDS Awareness Month, MSDH is asking all Mississippi hospitals to partner with us to provide safe sleep education to every newborn parent and ensure that staff caring for babies are educated about safe sleep.
To kick-off this initiative, MSDH is offering the children’s bard book Sleep Baby, Safe and Snug for hospitals to give to the parents of each newborn discharged from the hospital, free of charge (renewed on an annual basis as funding is available). Hospitals can receive the board books by having a safe sleep policy that incorporates the latest recommendations for infant sleep as defined in the American Academy of Pediatrics 2011 Clinical Report and completing a participation form.
A sample safe sleep policy is attached. We are encouraging all Mississippi hospitals to pursue recognition through The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program. Developed by Cribs for Kids® in conjunction with Halo Innovations®, this is a hospital certification program which recognizes hospitals that demonstrate a commitment to community leadership for best practices and education on infant sleep safety.
Your hospital will have the opportunity to be recognized as a Safe Sleep Approved facility by the Mississippi SIDS & Infant Safety Alliance, the only non-profit in Mississippi that is dedicated solely to providing SIDS and Safe Sleep education to families and professionals as well as bereavement services. To participate or ask questions, please contact Monica Stinson at Monica.Stinson@msdh.ms.gov.
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