To help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) deaths, safe sleeping habits for infants is critical for their safety.
- SIDS is the number one cause of death for babies from 1 month to 12 months old. SIDS most often affects infants 1 to 4 months old.
- Unintentional suffocation is a leading cause of death in babies under 1.
- 3 Ohio infants die each week in unsafe sleep areas.
- 66% of these deaths happen to babies who were not sleeping alone.
- About 1 in 5 deaths happen while someone other than a parent is caring for an infant.
- Many of these deaths occur when babies who usually sleep on their backs are then placed to sleep on their tummies. Babies used to sleeping on their backs who are then placed to sleep on their tummies are 18 times more likely to die from SIDS.