Harbor-UCLA Pediatrics

In a motion by Supervisors Don Knabe and Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles County will develop a two-year pilot program at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center that will address the staggering number of infant deaths that have occurred due to unsafe sleeping practices and head trauma. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center was selected for the pilot program because of its strong pediatric department. Approximately 900 live births occurred at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center last year.

The program will be overseen by Dr. Carol Berkowitz, a nationally recognized expert in child maltreatment, and will be modeled after a similar pilot program in Baltimore, Maryland called the Infant Safe Sleeping and Abusive Head Trauma Pilot. The Baltimore program led to four years without a single abusive head trauma death and a decrease in the rate of sleep-related deaths.

At least 140 infants in Los Angeles County have died in the past two years due to unsafe sleeping practices, while others have died or been disabled by Shaken Baby Syndrome, which occurs when an infant is forcefully shaken. Half of children affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome die, while survivors may require lifelong medical care.

Since infant deaths resulting from Shaken Baby Syndrome are totally preventable, the program will focus on educating parents and hospital workers on safe sleeping practices, proper handling of fragile infants and the risks of shaking newborns.

*Source: LA County Supervisor Don Knabe