sleep-related deaths | Live Healthy S.C.

Here’s a look at health and environmental news from around South Carolina.

Health in Brief: DHEC encourages parents to practice ‘safe sleep’ habits with babies

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control recently published a press release reminding parents to practice safe sleep habits with infants. The agency reported that six infants in South Carolina die each month due to sleep-related deaths.

Study aims to protect water at the source

The clean air and water, mountain views and scenic rivers that attract so many people to the Upstate is the driving force behind a watershed plan being developed for the 220,000-acre Tyger River Watershed Basin.

Keeping it beautiful and clean for future generations is the goal of Upstate Forever, a Greenville-based land conservation organization that is parlaying a $40,000 federal grant into a plan to identify sources of water pollution as well as areas deemed “critical” for protection or restoration.

General Interest

CDC: Workplace noise linked to high blood pressure and high cholesterol

High blood pressure and high cholesterol — two risk factors for heart disease — are more common among workers exposed to loud noise in their workplaces, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The death of even one child to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is too many. Sadly, we lose many more than that. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes on its website that about 3,700 infants died of SIDS or other sleep-related causes in the US in 2015.

October is SIDS Awareness Month, which presents a good opportunity for parents and others to learn more about SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths in an effort to reduce the risk to babies.

CDC recommends the following tips to protect your child:

Place your baby on his or her back for all sleep times — for naps and at night.
Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib or bassinet, covered only by a fitted sheet.
Have the baby share your room, not your bed. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else.
Keep soft objects, such as pillows and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area.
Do not allow smoking around your baby. Smoke in the baby’s surroundings is a major risk factor for SIDS.

Visit the CDC’s website for more details and information on SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths.