CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — With the holidays approaching, child safety advocates gathered at Lurie Children's Hospital to remind families of simple tips to keep children safe at home and while traveling.
At the top of the safety list: how babies sleep.
Chicago pediatrician Dr. Kyran Quinlan, who previously served as chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said there's only one answer.
“An infant should always sleep on their back,” he said.
He added babies should always sleep alone, in a crib or bassinet, with only a firm mattress and fitted sheet. Anything else, including pillows, blankets, toys or padded crib bumpers could pose a hazard.
For parents worried about their babies getting cold, he suggested using sleep sacks.
“Here in Cook County, another sudden unexpected infant death happens about once a week,” Quinlan said.
Infant deaths are highest among African American babies, he said.
“Nationally, the Black to white ratio is 2-to-1,” Quinlan said. “In Cook County, unfortunately, that ratio is 16-to-1.”
The number of babies who died in sleep-related incidents in 2021 was “about the same” as it was 20 years ago, Quinlan said.
He and other advocates hope the "Safe Sleep for Babies Act," which bans crib bumpers and inclined sleepers for infants, will help save lives.
The law goes into effect Nov. 12.
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