On Wednesday, June 17th, City and County officials announced a campaign to promote safe sleep practices for infants.  This campaign was jointly developed in response to an increase in sleep-related infant deaths in Cleveland occuring in 2009.

In the past 5 years, an average of 2 infants die each month due to unsafe sleep environments including co-sleeping. These deaths are largely preventable and awareness of safe sleep practices needs to be expanded.  Members of the Cuyahoga County Child Fatality Review Committee, a committee led by the Cuyahoga County Coroners team, confirmed this finding.

Regardless of the good intention of parents and caregivers, co-sleeping with an infant is dangerous. Infants have died due to accidental strangulation and suffocation, and these deaths are entirely preventable.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer followed the event at this link.

See the following links:

Cleveland Department of Public Health, Maternal and Child Health

Statistics on sleep-related deaths among children from the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office (including the 2007 report)

Community resources, including

• grief counseling and support services
• Pregnancy and prenatal services
• teen violence prevention
• child abuse prevention