Safer Sleeping campaign supports Kent parents
A new campaign is underway in Kent to support parents with young babies, offering vital safety advice to protect their children and reduce the chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Around 290 babies and toddlers die every year of SIDS in the UK. Each year in Kent, approximately nine babies under a year old die unexpectedly in their sleep.
Research has shown that several parental and infant care factors are more frequently associated with babies who die of SIDS. There are no obvious reasons for these deaths, but factors such as overheating and co-sleeping do increase the risk, so parents who follow the safer sleep advice can significantly lower the chances of this occurring.
The multi-agency Kent Safeguarding Children’s Board and partner organisations have developed innovative thermometer cards which will help parents understand the issues and monitor the temperature of the room in which their baby is sleeping. These are currently being given to parents with key safety messages by health visitors and midwives. Swale Health Visitor Tracey Methley-Keen believes it’s a vital support tool: “It’s really awful for parents when they are just so tired and struggling to get their baby to sleep that they decide to lay down with the baby or they wrap it up in lots of layers to avoid it waking up cold, especially at this time of year when the temperature drops.”
She added: “Many parents often don’t realise how dangerous this can be and we need to keep having the conversations to remind them – the thermometer cards are a valuable visual reminder and a great conversation prompt.” (more…)
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