ADPH launches #ClearTheCribCampaign for infant sleep safety

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. ( WHNT ) – The Alabama Department of Public Health is launching a social media campaign encouraging parents to clear hazardous items from their infants’ cribs.

The #ClearTheCrib campaign aims to combat one of the leading causes of infant mortality, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

“With infants’ sleep position, it’s directly related to the chance of dying in their sleep,” said ADPH Medical Officer Dr. Wes Stubblefield. “With the Clear the Crib Challenge, what we want people to know is that there doesn’t need to be anything in the crib other than a firm mattress and a tight-fitting sheet over that mattress.”

Unlike adults, who often wake up when their airway is constricted, Dr. Stubblefield says infants lack the reflex and are especially vulnerable to suffocation and strangulation in their sleep.

ADPH reports that of 391 babies that died in 2022 in Alabama, 105 resulted from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome, which includes accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed.

“That’s why we talk about the ABCs of sleep for babies, and this is alone, on their back, and in a crib,” said Dr. Stubblefield. “No stuffed animals, bumper pads, toys, pillows, blankets.”

Stubblefield said many parents are still resistant to or are unaware of ADPH recommendations, which are strongly backed by research.

“There’s a lot of ingrained habits in parents about what they feel is a safe sleeping environment,” he said. “But we all want to protect our children, to have them be as safe as possible, and this is the best information we have.”

He said ADPH launched their social media campaign, #ClearTheCrib, to spread awareness about infant sleeping conditions to as wide an audience as possible.

“Any means that we can get this information out is extremely important, and parents interact with the healthcare system in different ways,” he said. “There may be places in Alabama where people don’t have access or consistent access to providers and so I think we can reach them through social media.”

To participate in the challenge, post a picture of a clear, safe crib or a video of you removing items from a crib in 5 seconds or less with the #ClearTheCrib hashtag.

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