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ChristianaCare hosts community event highlighting SIDS

Delaware Public Media

ChristianaCare is drawing attention to sudden unexpected infant death syndrome, or SIDS, with a community event this Saturday in Wilmington.

The hospital system is throwing a baby shower to give parents information about child safety.

Between 2016 and 2020, Delaware had a slightly above average SIDS rate compared to the rest of the country at 101.1 cases per 100,000 live births, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

ChristianaCare Program Coordinator Adriana Viveros-Sosa said the event will focus on how parents can help keep infants and newborns safe–especially when they sleep.

“Nothing should be on the crib. Nothing at all, only the baby and if you want to wrap the baby around in a swaddler. But nothing should be around the crib. We do recommend for babies co-share the room with the parents, not the bed,” she said.

Viveros-Sosa said babies should always be placed on their backs in the crib and to keep things like curtains out of reach.

The free baby shower is at the Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday. Registration is required.

Mark Arehart is an award-winning reporter/producer. Before returning to Delaware, Arehart was a reporter for WKSU and Ideastream Public Media in Northeast Ohio. He previously hosted Morning Edition and covered the arts scene for Delaware Public Media. He has worked for KNKX in Seattle, Kansas Public Radio, and KYUK in Bethel, Alaska.