Ann Allen receives Car Curing Kids grant to promote safe sleeping initiative for newborns

In support of an effort to promote safe sleep recommendations for newborns, Cars Curing Kids has awarded a one-year grant of $23,275 to Ann Allen, MD, associate professor, Division of Hospital Medicine and Complex Care. Approximately 3,500 infants die every year of sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUIDs), including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), undetermined causes, accidental suffocation, and strangulation in bed. Allen’s project will provide sleep sacks for newborns at SSM Health St. Mary’s – Madison for one year as part of a safe sleep initiative. The sleep sack provides a safe option for babies to sleep so that additional soft bedding is not needed. The infant stays warm without becoming overheated, and the sack eliminates the suffocation risk from blankets. The modeling of safe sleep practices by staff at the hospital will promote adoption of such practices by patient families.