An unusually high number of Orthodox Jewish infants and toddlers are dying in sleep-related deaths in Rockland County and the Department of Social Services (DSS) says it is working within the insular community and among various sects to prevent future deaths.
Lohud.com writes that since 2008, nine infants have died in incidents likely related to unsafe sleeping practices, and eight of those babies were Jewish, a total of 89%, even though Jews are just one-third of Rockland County’s population.
But because religious Jews eschew autopsies, doctors cannot determine with certainty how or why the children are dying, and must rely on external exams only.
Medical examiner Dr. Jonathan Arden said he is sensitive to the religious objections of an autopsy, but that they are still helpful in determining the exact cause of death.
“In some cases, if the evidence is strong enough, some medical examiners will then certify that death as an actual asphyxiation death, not unexplained infant death. The recognition of the inappropriate sleep conditions should derive from the investigation of the scene and circumstances.”
In the meantime, babies are regularly found dead in Rockland or elsewhere either in the prone position or with blankets and pillows in cribs.
Rabbi Aron Reiner, executive director of the Ramapo-area Bikur Cholim says typically the local hospital, such as Good Samaritan in Suffern, instructs new mothers about how to safely position their babies for sleeping, but added, “If there is a need to do more, then we will definitely do that. There is no death that is OK. One death is too much.”
Rockland’s Department of Social Services says it is trying to coordinate with local rabbis and organize educational meetings with women’s groups in the Orthodox community, but records show DSS has a spotty history of investigating deaths of children.
In 2011, a 14-month old girl was found dead, but the caseworker assigned to investigate did not determine if the child had slept alone in her bed or if there were objects in the bed with her. Nor did the caseworker investigate why the child had not been checked on by her parents for 14 hours.
Another case in 2013 revealed a 3-month old found dead face down in her bassinet. The mother said she knew about proper sleeping practices, but had followed her pediatrician’s advice to place the infant prone because the child had colic. The pediatrician refuted that assertion and no autopsy was performed.
A report issued by the Office of Children and Family Services, recommended that caseworkers needed additional training “regarding the unique needs of the insular religious community” and “specific behavioral protocols expected from visitors” while a family is sitting shiva. Workers are also being instructed to interview all witnesses at the scene of a child death.
Rabbi Moshe Tendler of the Community Synagogue of Monsey says county officials should distribute educational information in the community about proper sleeping positions. “Certainly, there should have been distribution of a circular or a poster to get that information over to the community. Every synagogue would be happy to post such a poster.”
I agree with #30. Furthermore I do not put total trust in Doctors. Doctors, by law, must promote the vaccines. I know 2 children who suffered from vaccinations. One died the day after her vaccination and the second had a caesar in the Dr. office after she had her vaccination which left her retarded. As far as sleeping positions, I have chosen putting my children on their side for many reasons. First, it is the fetal position. Second, the infant is sleeping at times for 5,6 even 8 hours straight and an infant as young as a few weeks old… Read more »
The Rebbe rejects your idea that the medical community’s recommendation on vaccination is all about making money.
Did the Rebbe get fooled by “big pharma” as well?
All these conspiracy theories. Look at the evidence. Countries that have good vaccination rates have better life expectancy and child mortality rates.
There is NO evidence that childhood vaccination decreases life expectancy or increases child mortality, on the contrary!
In is NOT OK to peddle in conspiracy theories that have no scientific basis at all.
According to what I was told 3 months ago, the long-time standard is ‘bac[k] to sleep’…
B: on their back (until they are old enough to roll over easily on their own)
A: alone (no blankets, bumpers, toys, even socks, etc.)
C: in their crib (exclusively)
It’s pretty annyong as a new mom, but better safe than sorry, right?
ריבונו של עולם נותן את החיים ואם חס ושלום קורה שתינוק נפטר בשנתו ל”ע הרי זה כי סיים את תפקידו בעולם!! וירחם ה’ שאף אחד לא יתנסה בזה!!!(פעם זה קורה כשהתינוק שוכב על הבטן ופעם על הגב!!)
It’s not the doctors. They’re just pawns. It’s big pharma that is making all the billions. It’s hard to get out of the medical mindset, Americans as a whole have been so indoctrinated. But there is B”H life beyond medicine and drugs!
At first one hears gurgling sounds from asphyxiation, all one has to do is dive into the situation and open the airway by any means
Oh, so do YOU know anyone who can cure cancer? Mainstream medicine sure doesn’t have the answer.
And to those citing scientific studies, know that they’re biased, the studies are all funded by the pharmaceutical industry.
Believe as you wish but today there is more autoimmune illness than ever before. More allergies, asthma, ad/hd, autism, (what’s with the letter A?!). It is certainly something to wonder about, and, as I said above, mainstream medicine sure doesn’t have the answer.
i dont have bumpers. bumpers didnt always exist and we are all fine. a slight bump on the wood is ok. children learn best from trial and error. they need to explore. if it hurts the baby will learn to play more gently in the crib.
Proof?
For all the people claiming that docs vaccinate just to make money… Do ur research, pediatricians are the least well paid specialty out there…
Yup, So who would you send someone to chas vshalom to cure cancer? Of course not someone with a medical degree, right, because they’re all just villians! How people can rely on medical knowledge on a constant basis, have no such knoweldge themselves, and then spread baseless conspiracy theories that potentially harm children is completely beyond me. Fine, let’s move back to the jungle. Noone tries to make money off of us there. Never mind life expectancy used to hover at around forty two and having a child was always a terrifying leap of faith… The double standard and lack… Read more »
It seems that Chabad schools have failed in teaching basic medical history and critical thinking skills. 100 years ago child mortality was as high as 30 % and even as high as 50%. There were no vaccines then. Today child mortality (under 5) in the US is 7 out of 1000. In Israel and Australia it is 4 out 1000. The countries that have better immunisation rates have less child mortality. Where is the evidence that vaccines increased child mortality? On the contrary!! Whether comparing vaccination rates and child mortality rates between countries or periods in history, all evidence indicates… Read more »
The suspicions are not baseless. The vaccine manufacturers are protected from lawsuits by the government. They have to answer to NOBODY about vaccine safety. (Not to mention efficacy). That alone is basis for suspicion.
That are causing these deaths… follow the $$$ trail – the pharma companis are paying for the studies that purportedly show no connection between vaccines and horrific side effects including SIDS and autism and other side effects wake up yidden and question who is teaching the doctors to belittle you for not “protecting” your children
What’s the deal? I totally support no bumpers/back to sleep if the baby isn’t moving around yet. But what if the baby is already mobile and rolling around the crib, even crawling? My baby would bang his head against the wood, put his arms through the crib..so I have bumpers. And I read things like this and worry, worry, worry. And those supposedly mesh “safe” bumpers are just awful and provide very little protection for my very active baby.
Infant mortality r”l was waaay higher centuries ago, and has only been diminishing as doctors and scientists have come up with life saving medicines, vaccinations and recommendations. Where do we have the basis for taking it into our own hands to mistrust medicine- the Torah says that doctors are given permission to heal – and chas v’shalom turn the clock backward? Many studies have shown the accusations against vaccinations to be unfounded. There are scientific ways of going about things, differentiating anecdotal from statistical evidence, etc. Yes, individual children may have strong immune response and their vaccine schedule can be… Read more »
What about nursing babies in bed and falling asleep? Any safety studies?
The number of sides cases have dropped in the past years when vaccines actually rose so I don’t understand how vaccines are the problem
Also there was a discovery that 50-75 % of infants that die of sides have a serotonin defect
Rather a baby sleep SAFER than “better!”
It’s not the tummy that is the risk, it’s the vaccines. The aap will not tell you this, it doesn’t make them any money. For the children’s safety, don’t be in denial.
Safer for babies to die of whooping cough, measles, or polio? Vaccines ROCK!
As a professional working with mothers and newborns I frequently encounter mothers who put their children to sleep on their tummy even after we tell them not too. They need the child to sleep as long as possible, even if there is a risk.
I don’t think people are really aware of the risks!!
Lots of research indicate that babies sleeping prone breathe in the toxic fumes from those fire-proof plastic mattresses. If the baby is to be placed in a tummy down position (which admittedly makes for better sleeping) the mattress should at least have a cotton or sheepskin covering or padding, if not be replaced completely with an organic one.
Stop vaccinating your kids and they wont die in their sleep!!
For your children’s sake it is important to get your head out of sand. Don’t be so naiive and trusting. Be wary. Follow the money. Better safe than sorry.
There are more vaccines given now than ever before, safety studies exist on individual vaccines but not on multiple vaccines given together. Take charge of your child’s vaccine schedule.
lets face it baby’s sleep better on there stomach even though the back is safer
AS YIDN WE ALL KNOW THERE IS SPECIAL TFILOS FOR MAGEIFES OF YIDISHE KINDER RACHMONO LITZLAN
Correlation does not equal causation. Its important to conduct control studies to eliminate possible factors as a cause.
All control studies of SIDS and vaccines have shown no causation link.
The Institute of Medicine reported that “all controlled studies that have compared immunized versus non-immunized children have found either no association . . . or a decreased risk . . . of SIDS among immunized children” and concluded that “the evidence does not indicate a causal relation between [DTP] vaccine and SIDS.”
Do a little research, see what you come up with. For your child’s safety, it’s worth the effort, more than just asking your doctor. May Hashem protect all yidden.
Correct
Bumpers major safety hazard
Babies have been found trapped between bumper and crib
While, of course everyone should be as educated as possible about safety… Something here sounds strange. High percentage ‘in Rockland’? This would imply that only in Rockland do people lay their babies in a position that is unsafe. Highly unlikely. In fact the numbers listed here are fractional compared to the amount of babies in Rockland. This is possibly far LESS than the national average. Sounds like sensationalism for the secular media about ‘the religious Jews’.
Are you implying before babies got shots there were no cases of sids??
this is so biased…jewish commnity has way more births per year….so more sids r”l doesnt mean they are less educated
Correct. Thank you for bringing this to the attention of the public.
Check it out before you dismiss it as narishkeit
There have been studies that showed a link between SIDS and vaccines. Between the ages of 2 mos. and 4 mos., infants are given 10 shots of vaccines. You can check the CDC website and SIDS occurs around this age group. I encourage mothers to do their own research before they allow vaccinations by their pediatrician. At least delay vaccinations until their children turn 5 y.o.
Bumpers are a major cause of SIDS
while every single death is a tragedy beyond compare, how is 1 death a year the same as “babies are regularly found dead in Rockland “?????
Maybe they mean babies who are found dead are usually found in such and such a position?
to say they are reqularly found dead is disgusting and untrue.
I don’t necessarily believe that putting babies on their stomach can cause infant death CVS but what I am have read in the article is it that other objects are found in the crib like pillows and blankets which can be very very dangerous especially to an infant which cannot remove these objects from themselves. It’s always good to educate and reeducate parents about safe sleeping practices. I don’t think anyone is trying to blame Jewish mothers for not being careful or not loving their children enough. But they want to find out why babies are dying and help prevent… Read more »
1/3 of Jewish population in reality can have 90% birth rates more then other population so the death rates at birth are potentially higher too …..
SIDS syndrome or any other death will be described as an asphyxiation …..
All this medical statistics and social services in need of bigger paychecks from our taxes .
It’s just another way to blame Jews for thier religion views , never saw Jewshish mother that doesn’t care for her child it’s on our blood !!!
I understand that a mother needs to get specific direction from her own pediatrician, but why is it such a secret that you can’t give a general instruction? When my babies were very little I always lay them on their side, with their back against the bumper of the bed. and ALWAYS checked on them periodically and certainly before going to bed myself. An infant laying on its side can’t gag if it spits up or vomits and can’t suffocate as it might while on its back or stomach