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Adopt and present a resolution recognizing October 2023 as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month in Solano County (Supervisor Brown)
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board of Supervisors adopt and present a resolution recognizing October 2023 as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month in Solano County.
SUMMARY:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recognize October 2023 as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS), Public Health Division, Maternal Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Bureau, joins the CDC and CDPH in recognizing October 2023 as SIDS Awareness Month to increase public awareness about the importance of SIDS and the steps Solano County residents can take to reduce the risk of SIDS, and the need to follow safe sleep recommendations to promote and protect the health of infants.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing this agenda item are nominal and are absorbed by the Department's FY2023/24 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparation and purchase of the resolution materials are included in the Board's FY2023/24 Working Budget. There is no additional financial impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS), Public Health Division, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Bureau, sponsors activities in Solano County throughout the year and especially during the month of October to promote awareness and risk reduction of SIDS. Together with the CDC and CDPH, H&SS recognizes that infant deaths from SIDS are a great loss for Solano County families and the community, and SIDS should be addressed as a significant public health issue.
What is SIDS?
SIDS, which is a type of SUID (Sudden Unexpected Infant Death) or SUDI (Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants), is defined as the sudden death of an infant less than one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation is conducted. SIDS rates have declined considerably since the 1990s. The cause of SIDS remains unknown; however, risk factors for SIDS have been identified which include prematurity, placing a baby on their stomach to sleep, maternal smoking, and co-sleeping, especially on couches. In 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published updated recommendations for reducing the risk of SIDS. Recommendations include placing infants on their backs on a flat surface, room sharing without bed sharing, and avoidance of soft bedding and overheating. The AAP also emphasized that infants should sleep on products that are intended for infant sleep and adhere to consumer product safety guidelines. Prenatal care, breastfeeding, immunizations, and regular well-child checks are also important recommendations for risk reduction. In recent years, national trends indicate that SUID is being classified less often as SIDS and more often as accidental suffocation and strangulation or unknown cause. Locally, reports from the Solano County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office on sleep-related infant deaths also reflect a shift in determination of cause of death from “SIDS/SUID” to more commonly “Undetermined.”
According to the CDC, in 2020, SIDS was the third leading cause of death among all infants in the United States. And according to KidsData, SIDS was the fourth leading cause of death among infants in the State of California. The CDC also reports that SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants between one month and one year of age, and that SIDS disproportionally affects non-Hispanic Black, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native infants.
What is known locally about SIDS?
In Solano County, SIDS accounted for six infant deaths in 2020, one in 2021, two in 2022, and one to date in 2023. The leading causes of infant death include birth defects, preterm birth and low birthweight, and SIDS. According to 2018-2020 data from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), relative to other Bay Area counties and the State average, Solano County’s rate of SUID has remained above both. The reasons for Solano’s historically higher rate are unknown.
How will the MCAH Bureau address SIDS and Safe Sleep for Infants in FY2023/24?
The MCAH Bureau has integrated SIDS education into all home visiting programs and offers guidance on safe infant sleep to address the high rates of SIDS in Solano County, which disproportionately impacts community and households of ethnic minorities. In October 2023, SIDS awareness and education activities coordinated by the MCAH Bureau will include, but will not be limited to: 1) Publishing educational SIDS-related articles in the local print and online newspapers; 2) Disseminating information via social media platforms; 3) Partnering with internal and external bureaus, agencies and organizations, such as local prenatal care and pediatric providers, libraries and family resource centers to provide current information about safe sleep best practices to expectant parents and their families; 4) Distributing portable cribs to families who need safe sleep equipment; 5) Delivering targeted educational information to the African American/Black community in collaboration with the Solano Black Infant Health program; and 6) Promoting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) “Clear the Crib” campaign that encourages safe sleep for infants.
The MCAH Bureau continues to identify community partners to address gaps in education, training, and resources/referrals, and collaboratively share resources available for families who suffer a SIDS loss. This is possible through collaborations such as the Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) and Child Death Review (CDR) teams. The SIDS, FIMR and CDR programs comprise the Solano County Child Fatality Review and Response Team.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to recognize October 2023 as SIDS Awareness Month in Solano County This is not recommended as this resolution encourages and supports awareness of the availability and need for education, research and risk-reduction activities related to SIDS.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Partner agencies joining the department in efforts to reduce the risk of SIDS include Solano County prenatal care providers participating in the Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program and Solano Perinatal Network, Partnership HealthPlan of California, First 5 Solano, Kaiser Permanente Napa-Solano, the Vacaville Fire Department, and the Solano County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION