Rush Medical Center highlights preventable infant deaths in Cook County
CHICAGO - October is Baby Safe Sleep and SIDS Awareness Month, and Rush University Medical Center is using this time to raise awareness about the dangers of unsafe sleep environments for infants.
Cook County alone experiences around 180 sudden unexpected infant deaths each year, with most being preventable, according to Rush’s neonatal team. Nationally, about 3,500 babies die each year from sleep-related causes.
On Wednesday, the Rush medical team, including neonatal nurse practitioner Christie Lawrence, hosted an educational event aimed at reducing infant deaths caused by unsafe sleep practices. Lawrence emphasized the importance of keeping cribs free of toys, stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows.
"We have an infant dying nearly every week," she said about Cook County, adding 96% of those deaths are related to unsafe sleep environments and "totally preventable."
Since 2019, Rush has been tracking sudden unexpected infant deaths in Cook County caused by poor sleep habits, sharing their findings with the CDC. To continue spreading awareness, Rush is co-hosting an event this Friday on Chicago's South Side where they will distribute 100 safe sleep kits to families.
The best way to keep a baby safe during sleep, Lawrence advised, is to follow the ABCs: alone, on their back, in a crib.
One mother who attended Wednesday's event shared her story of loss, recounting how her 11-week-old daughter died while sharing a bed with her 19 years ago. The cause of death was ruled inconclusive.
The upcoming event on Friday will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Shine Bright Community Center in Chatham.