Latest news with #AlexHamilton
The Advertiser
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Sleep standards overhaul to prevent shock infant deaths
A world-first push to tighten safety standards around mattress firmness is hoped to prevent infants from dying in their sleep. Australia was the first nation to establish firmness ratings on mattresses in 2013 and they have since been adopted worldwide. But rates of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have not decreased. Some 212 deaths were reported in Australia in 2023. Leaders within the infant sleep safety community have now boosted standards on mattress firmness, beefed up the testing process and broadened what products must be assessed. A three-pronged approach, the firmness standards will soon be matched with 'breathability' testing, which respond to research that carbon dioxide build-up is a contributing factor to SIDS. Product safety communication designed to ease parent confusion around sleeping and remove misleading claims will also be introduced. Kellee Eriksson, an emergency nurse and linen manufacturer who contributed to the safety standards, said Australia was leading the charge on infant sleep. "We will be the first country to implement these enhanced firmness standards, to have information standards, and to have any standards around carbon dioxide when breathing," she told AAP. "The new standards will allow us to cover a far wider range of products, so that essentially, any product that is marketed for a baby to sleep in will need to comply with them." Baby loungers and comforters were not previously covered by firmness testing. Alex Hamilton, who lost her baby son River to SIDS when he was aged four months, said standards were needed to protect confused parents trying to give their child a safe environment. "It's so overwhelming for so many parents, trying to figure out what's actually safe or what the best thing to do is, and especially when you know when you first have a baby," Ms Hamilton told AAP. "I know what it's like to wake up to your child not breathing. "It changed my life in that moment, so (the new standards are) absolutely vital. "If we can intercept and save a child's life, these standards really are that life-or-death option." Firm sleep surfaces are crucial for infants in reducing suffocation risks and the rebreathing of carbon dioxide. The standards were developed through an expert coalition including Standards Australia, the Infant and Nursery Products Association of Australia, Red Nose, KidSafe, industry and retailers. It builds on existing safe sleep education messaging such as placing babies on their back and avoiding loose blankets. A world-first push to tighten safety standards around mattress firmness is hoped to prevent infants from dying in their sleep. Australia was the first nation to establish firmness ratings on mattresses in 2013 and they have since been adopted worldwide. But rates of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have not decreased. Some 212 deaths were reported in Australia in 2023. Leaders within the infant sleep safety community have now boosted standards on mattress firmness, beefed up the testing process and broadened what products must be assessed. A three-pronged approach, the firmness standards will soon be matched with 'breathability' testing, which respond to research that carbon dioxide build-up is a contributing factor to SIDS. Product safety communication designed to ease parent confusion around sleeping and remove misleading claims will also be introduced. Kellee Eriksson, an emergency nurse and linen manufacturer who contributed to the safety standards, said Australia was leading the charge on infant sleep. "We will be the first country to implement these enhanced firmness standards, to have information standards, and to have any standards around carbon dioxide when breathing," she told AAP. "The new standards will allow us to cover a far wider range of products, so that essentially, any product that is marketed for a baby to sleep in will need to comply with them." Baby loungers and comforters were not previously covered by firmness testing. Alex Hamilton, who lost her baby son River to SIDS when he was aged four months, said standards were needed to protect confused parents trying to give their child a safe environment. "It's so overwhelming for so many parents, trying to figure out what's actually safe or what the best thing to do is, and especially when you know when you first have a baby," Ms Hamilton told AAP. "I know what it's like to wake up to your child not breathing. "It changed my life in that moment, so (the new standards are) absolutely vital. "If we can intercept and save a child's life, these standards really are that life-or-death option." Firm sleep surfaces are crucial for infants in reducing suffocation risks and the rebreathing of carbon dioxide. The standards were developed through an expert coalition including Standards Australia, the Infant and Nursery Products Association of Australia, Red Nose, KidSafe, industry and retailers. It builds on existing safe sleep education messaging such as placing babies on their back and avoiding loose blankets. A world-first push to tighten safety standards around mattress firmness is hoped to prevent infants from dying in their sleep. Australia was the first nation to establish firmness ratings on mattresses in 2013 and they have since been adopted worldwide. But rates of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have not decreased. Some 212 deaths were reported in Australia in 2023. Leaders within the infant sleep safety community have now boosted standards on mattress firmness, beefed up the testing process and broadened what products must be assessed. A three-pronged approach, the firmness standards will soon be matched with 'breathability' testing, which respond to research that carbon dioxide build-up is a contributing factor to SIDS. Product safety communication designed to ease parent confusion around sleeping and remove misleading claims will also be introduced. Kellee Eriksson, an emergency nurse and linen manufacturer who contributed to the safety standards, said Australia was leading the charge on infant sleep. "We will be the first country to implement these enhanced firmness standards, to have information standards, and to have any standards around carbon dioxide when breathing," she told AAP. "The new standards will allow us to cover a far wider range of products, so that essentially, any product that is marketed for a baby to sleep in will need to comply with them." Baby loungers and comforters were not previously covered by firmness testing. Alex Hamilton, who lost her baby son River to SIDS when he was aged four months, said standards were needed to protect confused parents trying to give their child a safe environment. "It's so overwhelming for so many parents, trying to figure out what's actually safe or what the best thing to do is, and especially when you know when you first have a baby," Ms Hamilton told AAP. "I know what it's like to wake up to your child not breathing. "It changed my life in that moment, so (the new standards are) absolutely vital. "If we can intercept and save a child's life, these standards really are that life-or-death option." Firm sleep surfaces are crucial for infants in reducing suffocation risks and the rebreathing of carbon dioxide. The standards were developed through an expert coalition including Standards Australia, the Infant and Nursery Products Association of Australia, Red Nose, KidSafe, industry and retailers. It builds on existing safe sleep education messaging such as placing babies on their back and avoiding loose blankets. A world-first push to tighten safety standards around mattress firmness is hoped to prevent infants from dying in their sleep. Australia was the first nation to establish firmness ratings on mattresses in 2013 and they have since been adopted worldwide. But rates of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have not decreased. Some 212 deaths were reported in Australia in 2023. Leaders within the infant sleep safety community have now boosted standards on mattress firmness, beefed up the testing process and broadened what products must be assessed. A three-pronged approach, the firmness standards will soon be matched with 'breathability' testing, which respond to research that carbon dioxide build-up is a contributing factor to SIDS. Product safety communication designed to ease parent confusion around sleeping and remove misleading claims will also be introduced. Kellee Eriksson, an emergency nurse and linen manufacturer who contributed to the safety standards, said Australia was leading the charge on infant sleep. "We will be the first country to implement these enhanced firmness standards, to have information standards, and to have any standards around carbon dioxide when breathing," she told AAP. "The new standards will allow us to cover a far wider range of products, so that essentially, any product that is marketed for a baby to sleep in will need to comply with them." Baby loungers and comforters were not previously covered by firmness testing. Alex Hamilton, who lost her baby son River to SIDS when he was aged four months, said standards were needed to protect confused parents trying to give their child a safe environment. "It's so overwhelming for so many parents, trying to figure out what's actually safe or what the best thing to do is, and especially when you know when you first have a baby," Ms Hamilton told AAP. "I know what it's like to wake up to your child not breathing. "It changed my life in that moment, so (the new standards are) absolutely vital. "If we can intercept and save a child's life, these standards really are that life-or-death option." Firm sleep surfaces are crucial for infants in reducing suffocation risks and the rebreathing of carbon dioxide. The standards were developed through an expert coalition including Standards Australia, the Infant and Nursery Products Association of Australia, Red Nose, KidSafe, industry and retailers. It builds on existing safe sleep education messaging such as placing babies on their back and avoiding loose blankets.
Perth Now
26-06-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Sleep standards overhaul to prevent shock infant deaths
A world-first push to tighten safety standards around mattress firmness is hoped to prevent infants from dying in their sleep. Australia was the first nation to establish firmness ratings on mattresses in 2013 and they have since been adopted worldwide. But rates of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have not decreased. Some 212 deaths were reported in Australia in 2023. Leaders within the infant sleep safety community have now boosted standards on mattress firmness, beefed up the testing process and broadened what products must be assessed. A three-pronged approach, the firmness standards will soon be matched with 'breathability' testing, which respond to research that carbon dioxide build-up is a contributing factor to SIDS. Product safety communication designed to ease parent confusion around sleeping and remove misleading claims will also be introduced. Kellee Eriksson, an emergency nurse and linen manufacturer who contributed to the safety standards, said Australia was leading the charge on infant sleep. "We will be the first country to implement these enhanced firmness standards, to have information standards, and to have any standards around carbon dioxide when breathing," she told AAP. "The new standards will allow us to cover a far wider range of products, so that essentially, any product that is marketed for a baby to sleep in will need to comply with them." Baby loungers and comforters were not previously covered by firmness testing. Alex Hamilton, who lost her baby son River to SIDS when he was aged four months, said standards were needed to protect confused parents trying to give their child a safe environment. "It's so overwhelming for so many parents, trying to figure out what's actually safe or what the best thing to do is, and especially when you know when you first have a baby," Ms Hamilton told AAP. "I know what it's like to wake up to your child not breathing. "It changed my life in that moment, so (the new standards are) absolutely vital. "If we can intercept and save a child's life, these standards really are that life-or-death option." Firm sleep surfaces are crucial for infants in reducing suffocation risks and the rebreathing of carbon dioxide. The standards were developed through an expert coalition including Standards Australia, the Infant and Nursery Products Association of Australia, Red Nose, KidSafe, industry and retailers. It builds on existing safe sleep education messaging such as placing babies on their back and avoiding loose blankets.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Trees removed in Denison Park due to rotting and safety concerns
CORNING, N.Y. (WETM) — Corning officials have started removing what they call problem trees out of the park system at Denison Park. A few trees in Denison Park are starting to be cut down due to rot and safety hazards. This decision comes after assessments revealed that some trees had become unstable, posing a risk to park visitors, according to Corning officials. Corning Gaffer District seeks residents input on Holiday Lighting Program According to The City of Corning's Parks and Recreation Director, Alex Hamilton, many of the affected trees were compromised by disease, age, or previous storm damage, making them more likely to fall. 'They may look great from the outside, but normally inside you'll find bug issues rot and decay,' Hamilton said. 'You know you basically have branches that are the sizes of other trees, when we get large wind events and/or storms you know that is a great hazard,' he said. To prevent potential hazards, city officials, parks and recreation, and one local volunteer have started the removal process. Hamilton says no other trees in Denison Park are slated to come down as of now but in a couple years it could be a different story. Historical talk on Corning's buildings to be held in Bath While some residents may be saddened to see the trees go, Hamilton says there are future plans to plant some replacement trees. 'So, we will be following up with some tree plantings as replacement for these trees in the near future,' Hamilton said. 'Exactly when I'm not positive, but it will be in the works to do some tree replacement in the place of the ones that we're taking down,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
