Although U
.S. infant mortality rates have decreased by 12 percent from 2005 to 2011, reports The New York Times, there are still hundreds of babies who will, sadly, never live past their first birthday. The majority of these die due to complications associated with premature birth; however, other causes include sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), birth defects and child abuse/neglect, according to the National Healthy Start Association.
In an effort to raise awareness locally and to educate about prevention of infant deaths, Parkland Health & Hospital System’s Dallas Healthy Start program will join efforts with United Way, KERA, The March of Dimes Texas Chapter, Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute and Dallas Furniture Bank to host a Community Baby Shower and Health Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21 at Juanita J. Craft Recreation Center at Diabetes Health and Wellness Institute (Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas), 4500 Spring Ave., Dallas, 75210.
“It’s vital to our community to raise awareness about this issue,” said Paula Turicchi, Senior Vice President, Parkland’s Women and Infants’ Specialty Health. “Prematurity continues to be a significant cause of death and is prevalent in the Dallas Healthy Start service areas with a large minority population of high-risk pregnant women and infants.”
In addition to the Community Baby Shower and Health Fair, Dallas Healthy Start will hold its sixth annual Infant Mortality Awareness Summit from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20 at the Mabel Peters Caruth Center at Communities Foundation of Texas, 5500 Caruth Haven Lane, Dallas, 75225. The primary goal of the summit is to share new research, resources and techniques. Participants will also discuss progress made toward reducing infant mortality, improving perinatal outcomes and pre-term (low birth weight) births. Additionally, Dallas Healthy Start will share the implementation, progress and Case Review Team recommendations for 2012-2013 pilot period of the Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR), a program that brings community members together to examine social, economic, cultural, safety and health systems factors associated with fetal and infant mortality.
The purpose of the Dallas Healthy Start program, housed at Parkland, is to reduce infant mortality rates and to address the racial disparity in birth outcomes. By providing home-based case management and care coordination, clients are able to gain access to health care and social services from governmental agencies and community organizations.
For more information about the Dallas Healthy Start program or upcoming events, please call 214.590.1670.
