October is Infant Safe Sleep AwarenessMonth:
The Collier County Safe Sleep Committee is hosting the following events in October to increase awareness about the importance of Safe Sleep practices:
Butterfly Release to Remember – Sudden Infant Death Awareness Month
Wednesday, October 25th, at 9 a.m. NCH Garden of Hope & Courage – On the Downtown Naples Hospital Campus of the NCH Baker Hospital at the corner of 2nd Ave. N. and 8th Street N.CANCELLED- Collier County Commissioners will be declaring October Safe Infant Sleep Month Tuesday, October 24th at 9 a.m. at the Collier County Commissioners Office: 3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 303 Naples, FL 34112
The death of any infant is tragic, but it’s especially tragic when it is preventable. Since 2000, 44 babies have died in Collier County fromsleeprelated death. In 2016, in Florida, 16.9 babies died every month and 3.5 babies died every week fromsleep related death. Help spread the word and decrease this number to zero.
How YOU Can Make a Difference A baby dies nearly every other day in Florida, due to an unsafe sleep environment.
Please join us to prevent these deaths. October is Infant Safe Sleep Awareness month in Collier County Florida. It’s the perfect time to spread the word about the number of unsafe sleep deaths and talk about how they can be prevented.
Join the Florida Department of Health in Collier County and commit to helping spread the message.
Listed below are some ideas on how to get involved:
If You Have A Few Minutes:
- Share information and resources on the Infant Safe Sleep website through email: www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/child-welfare/safesleep
- “Like” the NCH Safe and Healthy Children’s Coalition face book website and share Infant Safe Sleep posts:www.safehealthychildren.org
- Follow @HealthyCollier and @healthykidscc on Twitter and share the post: #SafeSleep starts w/ placing your baby on his or her back for all sleep times.
- Support a family with a new baby by offering information and soothing tips- Crying Baby:
- Separating Facts from Myths about Infant Sleeping. Learn and dispel these
common myths to parents. www.nichd.nih.gov/sts/about/pages/mythsfacts.aspx - Check the safety of any crib for your baby, especially motel and hotel cribs when traveling or visiting others-CPSC Crib Safety Guidelines: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/cribs/
- Talk to a store manager about safe sleep if you notice crib displays that show heavy quilts, pillows & stuffed animals-explain what safe sleep is and ask them not to display cribs in this way
If You Have A Few Hours:
- Monitor the media. When you see an ad or a picture in the paper that shows a baby sleeping on his/her tummy, write a letter to the editor. Letter to the editor tips: http://static.naplesnews.com/letters-to-the-editor/
- Order and distribute FREE promotional materials about infant safe sleep to all those who care for babies, including child care providers, baby sitters, family, and friends.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sts/materials/Pages/default.aspx - Talk to your doctor. Bring safe sleep brochures with you to your next OB or pediatrician appointment and ask the office to share them with other patients.
