SIDS Awareness Month Toolkit

October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month.

In October and beyond, infant caregivers and service/healthcare providers can join Safe to Sleep^® and its partners to encourage safe infant sleep and help raise awareness about ways to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Despite decreases in rates of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths, more than one-third of sudden unexpected infant deaths that occur in the United States each year are from SIDS.¹ Research also shows that unsafe sleep areas, such as those that include non-fitted sheets, blankets, or stuffed toys, remain a leading cause of infant death.²

How to Use This Toolkit

Use this toolkit to:

• Raise awareness about safe infant sleep, such as through the #ClearTheCrib challenge.
• Use our partner resources to compliment your awareness month activities
• Normalize images of safe sleep practices.
• Celebrate caregivers’ roles in helping to keep baby safe during sleep.

Adjust this toolkit’s resources and messages to meet your organization’s tone, communication needs, and goals for SIDS Awareness Month.

• Refer to this digital toolkit as often as you need to before, during, and after SIDS Awareness Month. Select a link from the menu to learn more about the #CleartheCrib Challenge, how to address unsafe sleep images, and other resources. If you have questions that are not answered in this information, please contact nichdSafetoSleep@mail.nih.gov.
• Watch our SIDS Awareness Month Planning Webinar  to find out more about the focus of this year’s observance, get an introduction to the educational activities, and more.
• Learn more about ways to reduce baby’s risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.