The Illinois State Police is recognizing October as Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month, warning that sleep suffocation is the leading cause of reported child deaths in the state.

As one of the lead investigators of child deaths, ISP says hundreds of infants die each year in Illinois because they are placed in unsafe sleeping environments. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, or SUID, affects families of all races, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds, the agency said.

"Many times when an infant dies, Illinois State Police officers who are part of a Child Death Review Team respond and see first-hand the tragedy of a preventable death," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "Witnessing these heartbreaking deaths takes a toll on our officers and families, and is why ISP is promoting Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month."

When a child dies in Illinois, a Child Death Review Team reviews the facts of the case and helps develop methods to prevent similar incidents, ISP said. The agency said its investigators serve on multiple Child Death Review Teams across the state and have found that many unsafe sleep-related deaths were preventable.

According to ISP, common unsafe sleep conditions include soft sleep surfaces, blankets and stuffed animals in the crib, unsupervised sleeping in car seats or infant swings, and co-sleeping with parents or siblings.

Safe sleep guidance

ISP said the safest way for a baby to sleep is alone and on their back, in either a crib or bassinet with tightly fitted sheets and free of pillows, bumpers, blankets or other items. Adult beds, water beds, couches, chairs, pillows, quilts and other soft materials are not appropriate or safe for sleeping infants.

"We know there are steps families and caregivers can take to help prevent infant deaths, and making sure they have clear, accessible information can help save lives," said Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Dulce M. Quintero. "IDHS's Infant Safe Sleep website provides parents, caregivers, and childcare workers with resources and best practices for creating a safe sleep environment. Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month is a great opportunity to raise awareness and make sure families have the information they need to help keep babies safe."

For more information about safe sleep, visit the Illinois Department of Human Services website at dhs.state.il.us.

Source: the original release