Cot Death Charity Targets Young Mums With Hard-Hitting New Ad, UK

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 21 Dec 2008 - 0:00 PST

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The UK's leading cot death charity, The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), today launched a hard-hitting new ad to encourage young mums to seek safe sleep advice.

FSID has teamed up with advertising agency JWT to produce the viral, which focuses on the pain of losing a baby.

Every year more than 300 apparently healthy babies die suddenly and unexpectedly in the UK and research has shown that mums under 20 are 6 times more likely to have a cot death than older mothers*, but they are a hard group to reach.

FSID's director, Joyce Epstein, said: "we were delighted when JWT approached us to make this film. Teenage mums in particular are often reluctant to seek advice from healthcare professionals and we hope that this powerful film has provided us with an effective way to reach them and to increase our funds for bereavement support and research."

Alison Burns, CEO JWT London, said: "losing a baby is one of the most painful things that can happen to a family. We are proud to be teaming up with The Foundation for the Study of Infant Death to raise funds for their research into Cot Death and help families that are going through a terrible time."

YouTube link

* Latest ONS figures published on August 28th 2008, showed that the cot death rate was highest for babies of mothers aged under 20 at the time of the child's birth (1.27per 1,000 live births).

About FSID

FSID is the UK's leading baby charity working to prevent sudden infant deaths and promote baby health. FSID funds research, promotes health advice to parents and professionals and supports bereaved families. FSID is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and is the principle funder of research in the UK. http://www.sids.org.uk

How to reduce the risk

• Cut smoking in pregnancy - fathers too!

• Do not let anyone smoke in the same room as your baby.

• Place your baby on the back to sleep.

• Do not let your baby get too hot.

• Keep your baby's head uncovered - place your baby with their feet to the foot of the cot, to prevent wriggling down under the covers.

• If your baby is unwell, seek medical advice promptly.

• The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib or cot in a room with you for the first six months.

• It's especially dangerous for your baby to sleep in your bed if you or your partner:
• are smokers (even if you never smoke in bed or in the home)
• have been drinking alcohol
• take medication or drugs that make you drowsy
• feel very tired.

• Watch out for accidents: there is also a risk that you might roll over in your sleep and suffocate your baby, or that your baby could get caught between the wall and the bed, or could roll out of an adult bed and be injured.

• Never sleep with a baby on a sofa or armchair.

• Settling your baby to sleep (day and night) with a dummy can reduce the risk of cot death, even if the dummy falls out while your baby is asleep.

• Breastfeed your baby. Establish breastfeeding before starting to use a dummy.

About JWT

JWT is the world's best-known marketing communications brand. Headquartered in New York, JWT is a true global network with more than 200 offices in over 90 countries employing nearly 10,000 marketing professionals.

JWT consistently ranks among the top agency networks in the world and continues its dominant presence in the industry by staying on the leading edge-from producing the first-ever TV commercial in 1939 to developing award-winning branded content for brands such as Freixenet, Ford and HSBC. JWT's pioneering spirit enables the agency to forge deep relationships with clients including Bayer, Cadbury, Diageo, DTC, Ford, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg's, Kimberly-Clark, Kraft, Nestlé, Nokia, Rolex, Schick, Shell, Unilever, Vodafone and many others. JWT's parent company is WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY).