WHO:             Healthy Start Program, Florida Department of Health in Orange County

WHAT:           Baby Sleep Safe Event to raise awareness of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)/Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

WHERE:        Seven (7) selected road intersections in Orange County. [Information provided upon request].

WHEN:          October 19, 2017, 7AM until 6PM

WHY:             Because every baby deserves a first birthday and beyond! 

• According to National Healthy Start Association, one of the top five leading causes of infant mortality in the United States is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) / Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID).

• The purpose of this event will be to encourage dialogue about SIDS/SUID, safe infant sleep practices, educate families to share a room and not a bed with an infant, and to reduce infant mortality attributed to sleep-related infant deaths.

• The 2016 Infant Mortality rate in Orange County increased from 6.4 in 2015 to 7.1 per 1,000 live births. The same occurred with the Black Infant Mortality rate which jumped from 10.8 to 12.3 per 1,000 live births from the previous year.

• Healthy Start’s Baby Sleep Safe campaign will broadcast an outline of an infant’s body on different size mattresses. The different size mattresses will be used as a way to demonstrate that bed sharing is done with parents and among older siblings. 

• Educational flyers will be distributed to the community with recommendations on how to adapt safe sleep practices.

To learn more about the Healthy Start programs and for families to participate, please call 407-254-6822.