IT'S SAFE SLEEP AWARENESS MONTH AND THIS YEAR THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES IS FOCUSING ON THE DANGERS OF CRIB BUMPERS.
ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION THERE WERE 113 INFANT DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH CRIB BUMPERS BETWEEN 1999 AND 2019. D-C-F-S SPOKESPERSON DEBORAH LOPEZ EXPLAINS WHY THEY ARE SO DANGEROUS.
AN INFANTS HEAD CAN GET TRAPPED BETWEEN THE BUMPER PAD AND THE SIDE OF THE CRIB, OR THE BABY CAN BE STRANGLED BY THE CRIB BUMPER TIES SO THEY SHOULDN'T BE USED SAYS D-C-F-S SPOKESPERSON DEBORAH LOPEZ. SHE URGES PARENTS TO REMEMBER THE A-B-C'S OF SAFE SLEEP.
ADDITIONALLY, LOPEZ SAYS BABIES SHOULD NEVER BE LAID TO SLEEP ON AN ADULT BED OR A COUCH. SHE NOTES THAT UNDER A NEW FEDERAL LAW, IT'S ILLEGAL TO MANUFACTURE, DISTRIBUTE OR SELL CRIB BUMPER PADS.
