After a 4-month-old boy died during sleep hours at an unlicensed childcare facility in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, the Children and Family Affairs Agency issued a directive to prefectures and local governments to prevent children from sleeping at childcare facilities under their jurisdiction. We have advised them to take thorough safety measures inside.
The notice states that the facility the boy was using
did not take sufficient precautions to prevent suffocation and sudden infant death syndrome, such as sometimes putting infants to sleep on their stomachs and sometimes on their backs
.
It is pointed out that an investigation by the local government in charge revealed that
the child's complexion and breathing condition were not carefully observed .
In addition, we are calling on childcare facilities and other facilities to be aware of the risks of sleeping for infants and young children whose bodies are not yet fully functional, and to ensure their safety.
Specifically,
▽Unless your doctor recommends sleeping on your stomach for medical reasons, placing your infant on your back so you can see their face, and
▽Creating a safe sleeping environment will help prevent suffocation. This will help prevent accidents such as accidental ingestion and injury.
In addition, we ask that parents regularly check their child's breathing, body position, and sleeping condition to detect any abnormalities early and to take measures to prevent serious accidents.