Grand Lake Health System promotes SIDS awareness and pediatric care

Grand Lake Health System representatives are encouraging families to learn more about safe infant sleep while supporting an upcoming community event in St. Marys.

Amy Decker and Kristy Peggs recently appeared on WCSM’s Spectrum to discuss the annual 5K for SIDS Awareness and the importance of regular pediatric care.

The 5K will be held Saturday, October 17, at the Mill Park Shelter House, located at 100 West High Street in St. Marys. Event-day registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by the run and walk at 9 a.m.

Registration costs $30 per person. Participants may register through the Joint Township Hospital Foundation office or the event listing on the Grand Lake Health System Facebook page.

Decker said the event was created in memory of Landon, the son of a former hospital employee who died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Proceeds support a nursing scholarship for students interested in obstetric or pediatric nursing.

The family-friendly event welcomes runners, walkers, strollers and bicycles. It will be chip-timed for competitive runners, with prize money awarded to the top adult and youth finishers.

Educational signs placed along the course will provide information about SIDS and safe infant sleep.

Decker said parents and caregivers can remember the ABCs of safe sleep: babies should sleep alone, on their backs and in a crib or another approved infant sleep space. Toys, blankets, pets and other people should not be in the baby’s sleeping area.

Tummy time remains important for muscle and motor development, but it should only take place while the baby is awake and being supervised.

Peggs, practice manager for Grand Lake Physician Practices, said the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a newborn’s first appointment take place when the baby is between three and five days old—generally within 48 to 72 hours after leaving the hospital.

During that appointment, providers check the baby’s weight, feeding and overall health, review hospital screenings and answer questions from parents.

Peggs said regular well-child visits allow healthcare providers to monitor growth and development, complete age-appropriate screenings, discuss vaccines and address questions involving feeding, sleep and behavior.

She has worked in healthcare for approximately 19 years, including 17 years with the hospital. Peggs said pediatric care is her passion and that she especially enjoys educating new parents and helping them understand what to expect as their children grow.