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Canterbury Child Health Officials Welcome Special Report
MEDIA RELEASE
Friday, March 22,
2013
Canterbury
Child Health Officials Welcome Special Report By The Child &
Youth Mortality Review Committee
Canterbury child health officials are welcoming a special report by the Child & Youth Mortality Review Committee (CYMRC) into the accidental suffocation and choking of children.
Nicola Austin, Canterbury District Health Board chief of child health says the report, called Unintentional suffocation, foreign body inhalation and strangulation released this week, provides a tragic reminder to our community of just how dangerous everyday objects like curtain cords, rope, pillows, mattresses and some foodstuffs can be.
“While one accidental death by asphyxiation is one too many, this report is significant because it will help inform Canterbury Health System strategies to avert tragic and avoidable deaths in our communities,” Dr Austin says.
“The take away message for parents and caregivers is they can take simple practical steps to keep young children safe and protect babies from harm while sleeping.”
Dr Clare Doocey, Chairperson of the Canterbury Child and Youth Mortality Review Group says she would like to urge parents and caregivers to be vigilant for strangulation and choking risks to children, and with winter coming to ensure babies have the safest possible sleeping environment
“To
protect them during every sleep, babies should be placed on
their back with their face clear, close to their parents or
caregivers but in their own space and breathing air that is
free of smoke,” Dr Doocey says.
The report also recommends further support
for vulnerable children, enhancing quit-smoking programmes
and greater emphasis on product safety.
Since 2009, 965 Canterbury people have participated in a Sudden Unexpected Death in Infants prevention e-learning programme. The purpose of the programme is to align knowledge, understanding and action on safe sleep for babies. More than1000 portable infant sleep spaces (PSS) have also been distributed to Canterbury communities since 2011, most (800) during the earthquake year.
“The message for us as
health care providers is that there is more work to be
done,” Dr Doocey says.
“We need to continue with our successful initiatives to increase the already high participation of Canterbury professionals in prevention education as well as looking for new ways to support and raise awareness in our communities of how to provide the best possible home environment.”
ENDS
Canterbury DHB
CDHB
Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) is a Christchurch, New Zealand based hospital and healthcare provider for the
Canterbury region of New Zealand. Our region extends from Kekerengu in the North, to Rangitata in the South and Arthurs Pass in the West and comprises the six Territorial Local Authorities of Kaikoura, Hurunui, Waimakariri, Christchurch City, Selwyn and Ashburton.
We collaborate with other health and disability organisations, stakeholders and our community to decide what health and disability services are needed and how to best use the funding we receive from Government to improve, promote and protect the health, wellbeing and independence of our population.
At the Canterbury DHB, our vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in Canterbury.
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