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New Campaign Highlights Dangers Of Co-Sleeping With Babies

Over the past five months, 54 children in Texas lost their lives while they were sleeping with adults or older children. Now, one Texas agency is starting a campaign to educate families on how to alleviate the risk of these preventable deaths.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is launching a statewide campaign to inform people of the dangers of co-sleeping. Babies who sleep with others are at greater risk of smothering , falling off the bed, having someone roll on top of them, or dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

  

Credit Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
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Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Co-sleeping puts babies at greater risk of smothering, falling, or being rolled on top of by a bigger person.

  

The Room To Breathe campaign will include elements displayed on social media, television and online. Child Protective Services investigates about 170 deaths each year of children sharing a bed with someone older. The Texas Pediatrics Society says the safest place for babies is in a crib or bassinet, with no blanket, and no stuffed animals.

Wendy Rigby is a San Antonio native who has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. She spent two decades at KENS-TV covering health and medical news. Now, she brings her considerable background, experience and passion to Texas Public Radio.