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ABC's of Safe Sleep
Dr. Jason Yaun discusses safe sleep for infants and children, the new policies in place at Le Bonheur regarding infant sleep, and how data is collected about safe sleep at Le Bonheur.
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Learn more about Jason Yaun, MD
Jason Yaun, MD
Jason Yaun, MD specializes in General Pediatrics at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. He is also the Clinical Director of ULPS General Pediatrics, Division Chief of Outpatient Pediatrics, The Medical Director of the Family Resilience Initiative, an Associate Professor at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the Assistant Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program.Learn more about Jason Yaun, MD
Transcription:
Bill Klaproth: (Host) Successful campaigns around the US for safe sleep started around 1990. There was a steady decline in sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. But since 2005, the rate of decline of sleep-related deaths has leveled off. So a resident at Le Bonheur Children's hospital asks the question is safe, sleep a barrier for our families? This led to the hospital-wide campaign of sleeping safely everywhere during every sleep, and here to talk with us about safe sleep is Dr. Jason Yaun, Clinical Director of General Pediatrics, Division Chief of Outpatient Pediatrics, the Medical Director of the Family Resilience Initiative, and Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency program. This is the Peds Pod by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Yaun, it is great to talk with you. Thank you for your time. So first off, why is safe sleep, something we should all be concerned about?
Dr. Jason Yaun: (Guest) Well, thank you for having me today. I'm happy to be here and safe sleep is something we should all be concerned about because really all babies, are potentially at risk for harm if we don't practice safe sleep. We know that all babies should sleep alone on their back in their crib. And we've talked about the back to sleep message for about the last 30 years now. And initially, we saw a great decline in a number of sleep-related infant deaths, but unfortunately, that number has really plateaued over the last decade. And we found that more and more infant deaths are due to unsafe sleep practices. Especially in Shelby County, we lead the state in infant deaths due to unsafe sleep. And so we really want to protect our babies and not to lose any babies to unsafe sleep practices. So it's really a big issue here, in our area. And it's also a big issue because there are a lot of, racial inequities and, Infant sleep deaths. we know that black infants are over twice as likely to die from sleep-related infant deaths, than white infants. So it really is a call to action for our hospital and for the community.
Host: You mentioned some stats there. How are you collecting data about safe sleep at Le Bonheur?
Dr. Yaun: So we have been doing some surveys at night, we have residents and medical students, perform, some questionnaires for us where they go and assess the sleep practices of the patients that we have at that time. So they look to see if the patient is in the crib. Are they alone on their back? And is there any other items in the crib at all that shouldn't be there? So are there any blankets or diapers or wipes or positioning items or anything like that that we know should not be in the cribs. We've been following that data for the last couple of years and before our safe infant sleep initiative at Le Bonheur, we did find that a lot of babies, even in our hospital were not sleeping as safely as they should have been. Most were sleeping on the crib and on their back, did find a lot of extra items in the cribs, that shouldn't be there and could be potential hazards.
Host: Education information is so important. So tell us, what do you do at Le Bonheur children's hospital to model and teach parents about safe sleep?
Dr. Yaun: So since 2018, we've launched an entire committee focused on safe infant sleep practices, at Le Bonheur and, disseminating that information, in the community as well. We've adopted a new, policy that emphasizes that all of our, infants in the hospital would be sleeping safely. Following those ABCs of safe infant sleep. Uh, we've done a lot of training for our associates, including our, Physicians, nurses, and social workers, environmental staff, everyone that encounters patients, so that they have that knowledge and empowerment to educate and talk about safe infant sleep with our families. We have signage up in the rooms to remind our families of safe infant sleep and the importance and we've provided all of our patients with, what we call sleep sacks, to help, be able to sleep safely in the hospital. And just as you said, a lot of education. Checking, before we send our families home that they, in fact, have a space in their home where their infant can sleep safely and if not helping to meet that need and providing that space and that education.
Host: Let me ask you about a couple of things that you mentioned first off, you mentioned the ABCs of safe sleep. What are those?
Dr. Yaun: So the ABCs of safe infant sleep are the fact that all infants should be sleeping a, alone, b, on their back and c, in a crib. So those are the safe infant sleep guidelines that have been put out by the American Academy of pediatrics and, really have a lot of data behind them and really it should be just a mattress, a flat, sheet, and the baby in the crib, on their back. No pillows, no positioners, no stuffed animals, no crib bumpers. Really nothing else in the crib with the baby and really, they should be, sleeping alone. We really talk about how, it's really not safe to sleep with, babies in the bed or on a couch or on a chair. And the risk of infant deaths, though, suffocation, strangulation entrapment, all those types of things. And that can obviously be really devastating to lose any infant for any reason but particularly devastating for a preventable death in that type of situation.
Host: Right, so the ABC's of sleep, alone, on the child's back and in a crib. And then you also mentioned new policies in place at Le Bonheur or can you walk us through those new policies regarding infant sleep and why that's so important?
Dr. Yaun: Absolutely. So we talk about, again, the ABC's of safe infant sleeps and no other materials in the crib, we do promote pacifier use, when sleeping. We as we said, we educate families. We've also decided not to use any swings, bouncers, or other infant devices. Recently, a lot of those types of devices have been recalled, because they also produce the unsafe sleep environment. And we've had, babies throughout the country, die from being left unattended, in those items and falling asleep. The other things we talk about in our new policy, is, some babies medically, are, may not be able to sleep on their back, but as soon as they're able to medically, we want to get them on their back and model that practice. We also have decided not to do you use any, sleep positioners or any things to put over the baby's chest or, to keep them, from moving or keep a pacifier place. And then, of course, we promote breastfeeding. We promote skin to skincare. We promote a safe environment as far as, no smoking. Even, after discharge, and really outlines, what we can do in the hospital setting to practice safe, sleep and demonstrate that to our families. That's really an important piece is that families often, listen to the advice provided by nurses and physicians and continue that practice at home, but also what they see. So it's really important that we model those behaviors so that they will, continue that when they go home.
Host: That is really great information, Dr. Yon. And then you also mentioned sleep sacks first off. What are those, should parents have them? And it sounds like you do use them at Le Bonheur. Is that correct?
Dr. Yaun: Correct. We do use sleep sacks at Le Bonheur, or we use those for all the babies in the hospital to sleep in. And then we also are fortunate enough to be able to give all of our infants, one to go home with as well, and sleep sacks are essentially something that the infant can sleep in place of being wrapped in blankets or being swaddled. They come in different sizes. They either can snap in place or be Velcroed in place and, really provide an alternative, to blankets or other things that might be placed in the crib or other things like that to keep the infant, safe and comfortable. And, provide a good option, for safe sleep that's not going to, cause any problems, as far as getting around the baby's face or causing any strangulation or anything like that.
Host: Right, you could see definitely where that would be a benefit. And then let me ask you this. What are some of the myths about sleep you are working to dispel in this campaign?
Dr. Yaun: So I think one big myth that we've been working to dispel is one that says that babies may be more likely to choke if they're placed on their back. And we have a nice visual slide, that we use with our families to show that in fact, the way our anatomy is set up, that babies are at more risk of choking when they're placed on their belly. And our body has a protective mechanism so that anything that is spit up, will essentially go down the right way and not go down the airway, which is what we want to avoid. We also talk about, many parents feel that their baby may sleep, better on their side or on their belly. And that may very well be true, but we also know that sleeping on their back, the fact that babies do awaken more often is actually a protective mechanism against sudden infant deaths, which is what we want to prevent. So those are just a couple of the myths that we, worked through during our educational pieces with families, to talk about why it's important to have babies sleeping on their back.
Host: Well, this campaign is very important, sleeping safely, everywhere during every sleep. So how are you getting the word out about this campaign?
Dr. Yaun: So we have our staff talk to the families as soon as they get admitted to our hospital. We ask about their sleep environment at home. We educate them about our sleep policy at Le Bonheur and that we expect all babies, to follow the ABCs of safe infant sleep. We have cards on every crib in the hospital that talks about the ABCs of infant sleep as a constant visual reminder. And then we have some messaging that goes out over our, TV programs in the hospital. And we have education materials, including the sleep sacks that the babies, can go home with. So, every chance we have really reminding families on the importance of safe sleep and then even incorporating this into our community events. Using those opportunities to come in contact with families, even outside the walls of our hospital to talk about safe infant sleep, promoted, those practices, provide those resources, and connect families, with those things that they may need, such as sleep spaces or sleep sacks, so that we can, promote safe, sleep.
Host: Safe sleep is so important and this is just a really wonderful campaign. Dr. Yaun, thank you so much for talking to us about it and sharing some of these great practices for safe sleep. Thank you, Dr. Yaun, we appreciate it.
Dr. Yaun: Thank you. I appreciate it.
Host: That's Dr. Jason Yaun, and to learn more, please visit lebonheur.org/podcast. And be sure to subscribe to the Peds Pod on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcasts, you can also check out lebonheur.org/podcast to view our full podcast library. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels. This is the Peds Pod by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Thanks for listening.
Bill Klaproth: (Host) Successful campaigns around the US for safe sleep started around 1990. There was a steady decline in sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths. But since 2005, the rate of decline of sleep-related deaths has leveled off. So a resident at Le Bonheur Children's hospital asks the question is safe, sleep a barrier for our families? This led to the hospital-wide campaign of sleeping safely everywhere during every sleep, and here to talk with us about safe sleep is Dr. Jason Yaun, Clinical Director of General Pediatrics, Division Chief of Outpatient Pediatrics, the Medical Director of the Family Resilience Initiative, and Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency program. This is the Peds Pod by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. I'm Bill Klaproth. Dr. Yaun, it is great to talk with you. Thank you for your time. So first off, why is safe sleep, something we should all be concerned about?
Dr. Jason Yaun: (Guest) Well, thank you for having me today. I'm happy to be here and safe sleep is something we should all be concerned about because really all babies, are potentially at risk for harm if we don't practice safe sleep. We know that all babies should sleep alone on their back in their crib. And we've talked about the back to sleep message for about the last 30 years now. And initially, we saw a great decline in a number of sleep-related infant deaths, but unfortunately, that number has really plateaued over the last decade. And we found that more and more infant deaths are due to unsafe sleep practices. Especially in Shelby County, we lead the state in infant deaths due to unsafe sleep. And so we really want to protect our babies and not to lose any babies to unsafe sleep practices. So it's really a big issue here, in our area. And it's also a big issue because there are a lot of, racial inequities and, Infant sleep deaths. we know that black infants are over twice as likely to die from sleep-related infant deaths, than white infants. So it really is a call to action for our hospital and for the community.
Host: You mentioned some stats there. How are you collecting data about safe sleep at Le Bonheur?
Dr. Yaun: So we have been doing some surveys at night, we have residents and medical students, perform, some questionnaires for us where they go and assess the sleep practices of the patients that we have at that time. So they look to see if the patient is in the crib. Are they alone on their back? And is there any other items in the crib at all that shouldn't be there? So are there any blankets or diapers or wipes or positioning items or anything like that that we know should not be in the cribs. We've been following that data for the last couple of years and before our safe infant sleep initiative at Le Bonheur, we did find that a lot of babies, even in our hospital were not sleeping as safely as they should have been. Most were sleeping on the crib and on their back, did find a lot of extra items in the cribs, that shouldn't be there and could be potential hazards.
Host: Education information is so important. So tell us, what do you do at Le Bonheur children's hospital to model and teach parents about safe sleep?
Dr. Yaun: So since 2018, we've launched an entire committee focused on safe infant sleep practices, at Le Bonheur and, disseminating that information, in the community as well. We've adopted a new, policy that emphasizes that all of our, infants in the hospital would be sleeping safely. Following those ABCs of safe infant sleep. Uh, we've done a lot of training for our associates, including our, Physicians, nurses, and social workers, environmental staff, everyone that encounters patients, so that they have that knowledge and empowerment to educate and talk about safe infant sleep with our families. We have signage up in the rooms to remind our families of safe infant sleep and the importance and we've provided all of our patients with, what we call sleep sacks, to help, be able to sleep safely in the hospital. And just as you said, a lot of education. Checking, before we send our families home that they, in fact, have a space in their home where their infant can sleep safely and if not helping to meet that need and providing that space and that education.
Host: Let me ask you about a couple of things that you mentioned first off, you mentioned the ABCs of safe sleep. What are those?
Dr. Yaun: So the ABCs of safe infant sleep are the fact that all infants should be sleeping a, alone, b, on their back and c, in a crib. So those are the safe infant sleep guidelines that have been put out by the American Academy of pediatrics and, really have a lot of data behind them and really it should be just a mattress, a flat, sheet, and the baby in the crib, on their back. No pillows, no positioners, no stuffed animals, no crib bumpers. Really nothing else in the crib with the baby and really, they should be, sleeping alone. We really talk about how, it's really not safe to sleep with, babies in the bed or on a couch or on a chair. And the risk of infant deaths, though, suffocation, strangulation entrapment, all those types of things. And that can obviously be really devastating to lose any infant for any reason but particularly devastating for a preventable death in that type of situation.
Host: Right, so the ABC's of sleep, alone, on the child's back and in a crib. And then you also mentioned new policies in place at Le Bonheur or can you walk us through those new policies regarding infant sleep and why that's so important?
Dr. Yaun: Absolutely. So we talk about, again, the ABC's of safe infant sleeps and no other materials in the crib, we do promote pacifier use, when sleeping. We as we said, we educate families. We've also decided not to use any swings, bouncers, or other infant devices. Recently, a lot of those types of devices have been recalled, because they also produce the unsafe sleep environment. And we've had, babies throughout the country, die from being left unattended, in those items and falling asleep. The other things we talk about in our new policy, is, some babies medically, are, may not be able to sleep on their back, but as soon as they're able to medically, we want to get them on their back and model that practice. We also have decided not to do you use any, sleep positioners or any things to put over the baby's chest or, to keep them, from moving or keep a pacifier place. And then, of course, we promote breastfeeding. We promote skin to skincare. We promote a safe environment as far as, no smoking. Even, after discharge, and really outlines, what we can do in the hospital setting to practice safe, sleep and demonstrate that to our families. That's really an important piece is that families often, listen to the advice provided by nurses and physicians and continue that practice at home, but also what they see. So it's really important that we model those behaviors so that they will, continue that when they go home.
Host: That is really great information, Dr. Yon. And then you also mentioned sleep sacks first off. What are those, should parents have them? And it sounds like you do use them at Le Bonheur. Is that correct?
Dr. Yaun: Correct. We do use sleep sacks at Le Bonheur, or we use those for all the babies in the hospital to sleep in. And then we also are fortunate enough to be able to give all of our infants, one to go home with as well, and sleep sacks are essentially something that the infant can sleep in place of being wrapped in blankets or being swaddled. They come in different sizes. They either can snap in place or be Velcroed in place and, really provide an alternative, to blankets or other things that might be placed in the crib or other things like that to keep the infant, safe and comfortable. And, provide a good option, for safe sleep that's not going to, cause any problems, as far as getting around the baby's face or causing any strangulation or anything like that.
Host: Right, you could see definitely where that would be a benefit. And then let me ask you this. What are some of the myths about sleep you are working to dispel in this campaign?
Dr. Yaun: So I think one big myth that we've been working to dispel is one that says that babies may be more likely to choke if they're placed on their back. And we have a nice visual slide, that we use with our families to show that in fact, the way our anatomy is set up, that babies are at more risk of choking when they're placed on their belly. And our body has a protective mechanism so that anything that is spit up, will essentially go down the right way and not go down the airway, which is what we want to avoid. We also talk about, many parents feel that their baby may sleep, better on their side or on their belly. And that may very well be true, but we also know that sleeping on their back, the fact that babies do awaken more often is actually a protective mechanism against sudden infant deaths, which is what we want to prevent. So those are just a couple of the myths that we, worked through during our educational pieces with families, to talk about why it's important to have babies sleeping on their back.
Host: Well, this campaign is very important, sleeping safely, everywhere during every sleep. So how are you getting the word out about this campaign?
Dr. Yaun: So we have our staff talk to the families as soon as they get admitted to our hospital. We ask about their sleep environment at home. We educate them about our sleep policy at Le Bonheur and that we expect all babies, to follow the ABCs of safe infant sleep. We have cards on every crib in the hospital that talks about the ABCs of infant sleep as a constant visual reminder. And then we have some messaging that goes out over our, TV programs in the hospital. And we have education materials, including the sleep sacks that the babies, can go home with. So, every chance we have really reminding families on the importance of safe sleep and then even incorporating this into our community events. Using those opportunities to come in contact with families, even outside the walls of our hospital to talk about safe infant sleep, promoted, those practices, provide those resources, and connect families, with those things that they may need, such as sleep spaces or sleep sacks, so that we can, promote safe, sleep.
Host: Safe sleep is so important and this is just a really wonderful campaign. Dr. Yaun, thank you so much for talking to us about it and sharing some of these great practices for safe sleep. Thank you, Dr. Yaun, we appreciate it.
Dr. Yaun: Thank you. I appreciate it.
Host: That's Dr. Jason Yaun, and to learn more, please visit lebonheur.org/podcast. And be sure to subscribe to the Peds Pod on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcasts, you can also check out lebonheur.org/podcast to view our full podcast library. And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels. This is the Peds Pod by Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Thanks for listening.