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The Indiana Department of Health urges parents to take steps to protect the health and safety of their infants following a surge this month of deaths caused by unsafe sleep environments.<\/p>\n
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Indiana Department of Health news release:<\/p>\n
Indiana Department of Health urges parents to practice safe sleep for their infants<\/strong><\/p>\n
Indianapolis, Indiana (August 19, 2025) – The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) urges parents to take steps to protect the health and safety of their infants following a surge this month of deaths caused by unsafe sleep environments.<\/p>\n
IDOH has learned of more than 10 infant deaths related to unsafe sleep in August. Indiana typically averages two such cases a week over the course of a year. Suffocation caused by unsafe sleep environments is the third leading cause of death for all Indiana infants.<\/p>\n
Unsafe situations often involve co-sleeping with an adult (such as in a bed), blankets and pillows in the baby\u2019s crib, or the baby being placed on his or her stomach to sleep. In Indiana between 2015-2019, 36% of unsafe sleep deaths occurred during naptime (Source: IDOH SUID Report<\/a>, Division of Family Health Data and Fatality Prevention), so it\u2019s essential to sleep in a safe place every time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t stress enough how important it is to place babies in a safe sleep environment,\u201d said State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP. \u201cThese tragic deaths are preventable and can have a profound impact on communities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Babies should be placed to sleep following the ABCs of safe sleep:<\/p>\n
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- Alone: Babies should be placed alone with caregiver nearby in the same room.<\/li>\n
- Back: On his or her back.<\/li>\n
- Crib: With only a tight-fitting sheet, no bumper pads, pillows, blankets or stuffed animals. Never place a baby to sleep on a couch, chair, air mattress, or other soft surface. Do not let baby sleep in a baby swing or bouncer. Adults, siblings, and animals should not sleep with baby.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Other precautions to ensure babies have a safe environment include having a breastfeeding and safe sleep plan<\/a>. IDOH is working with the Department of Child Services and other partners across the state to increase awareness about safe sleep.<\/p>\n
More information and resources about safe sleep is available on the IDOH website<\/a>.<\/p>\n
IDOH released in June a provisional statewide 2024 infant mortality rate of 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, a decrease from 6.6 in 2023. Infant mortality is the death of a child before his or her first birthday and is measured by the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.<\/p>\n
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