“Wake Up Tulsa” To Educate About Sleep-Related Infant Deaths

Newson6.com

Tulsa, OK – According to the Tulsa Health Department, over a three-year period, 57.1% of Tulsa County infants who died before their first birthday were due to a sleep-related cause.

The Tulsa Fetal Infant Mortality Review (TFIMR) project & the Community Service Council are bringing together nearly 50 community agencies to learn more about this alarming trend.

The "Wake Up Tulsa" training event will be held Wednesday, December 9th from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at the James O. Goodwin Health Center auditorium located at 5051 S. 129th E. Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74134.

Community agencies will be presented statistical data and recommendations on how Tulsa County can educate families about the importance of safe sleep habits.

The Tulsa Health Department says families can reduce their baby's risk for a sleep-related injury or death by creating a safe sleep environment. Here are some tips families should follow:

• Room share, don't bed share. Place your baby on a firm mattress in his or her own crib or bassinet.
• Place your baby on his or her back to sleep. When your baby is awake, supervised "Tummy Time" will help prevent flat spots.
• Remove ALL ITEMS from your baby's crib.
• Avoid overheating. If you're comfortable, you're baby will be comfortable.
• Provide a smoke-free environment for your baby.

The TFIMR program studies fetal and infant deaths in our community in order to identify trends and implement preventive measures to reduce the infant mortality rate.

A TFIMR Case Review Team examines local cases of fetal or infant death by reviewing information collected from physician and hospital records, parent interviews, relevant documents, etc.

The team also identifies barriers to care and trends in service delivery, and suggests ideas to improve policies and systems that affect families.

A TFIMR Community Action Team then puts these recommendations into action appropriate for the Tulsa community and participates in implementing interventions designed to address the identified problems.