Infant deaths in Kansas jumped about 21% in 2022, driven partly by sudden infant death syndrome and children who suffocated because of unsafe sleep, a new report shows.
The number of infants who died in 2022 climbed to 210, up from 173 the year before but still down from 2018 when there were 246, according to a review of reports compiled by the Kansas State Child Death Review Board.
The board reported that 158 infants were found to have died by natural causes, with the leading causes identified as prematurity and congenital anomalies.
When examining the 52 cases of non-natural deaths, the leading causes were undetermined, sudden unexpected infant deaths and unintentional injury-suffocation with unsafe sleep.
During 2022, there were 45 sleep-related instances of undetermined sudden unexpected infant deaths.
In 22 of those cases, it was reported that the infant’s sleep environment had one or more unsafe sleep factors such as the infant not sleeping in a crib or sharing a sleeping surface.
In 12 cases, there was not enough information – such as a lack of an autopsy or a death scene investigation – to help pin down the cause of death.
While most instances of undetermined sudden unexpected infant deaths occur inside the home, almost one in five occurred elsewhere.
From 2018 to 2022, 9% of those deaths occurred in a relative’s home and 4% occurred at an unlicensed day care. One percent occurred at a licensed day care.
Of the 228 sleep-related deaths reviewed by the board from 2018 to 2022, only 21% of infants were placed in a crib or bassinet at the time of the death.
“Additionally, 55% of the infants were found to have been sharing a sleeping surface with one or more individuals at the time of death,” the report said.
The board reported that 53% of the sleep-related deaths occurred when the infant was sleeping on the adult bed, with 40% of those co-sleeping with one or more individuals.
Overall, there were 389 fatalities of youths under 18 in 2022, up from 349 the year before.
Fifty-eight percent of those were natural causes, followed by 19% who died from unintentional injury, 6% by homicide and 5% were death by suicide. Twelve percent of the deaths were undetermined.
The new report showed that death by suicide for children under 18 had reached its lowest point since 2018 when there were 35.
There were 21 deaths by suicide among those under age 18 in Kansas in 2022, down from 29 the year before. The suicide rate fell to 3 per 100,000 people from 4.1 in 2021.
The report also found that there were 16 drug deaths in 2022, including 13 involving fentanyl.
The number of drug deaths in Kansas was up from 11 in 2021 and was tied for the highest number since 2018.
The report noted that there were 33 fentanyl deaths from 2020 to 2022, compared to none from 2018 to 2019.
The report found that firearm fatalities among children in Kansas had dropped in 2022, declining to 30 from 44 the year before.
However, it was still higher than 2018, when there were 19 firearm-related deaths and in 2019 when there were 26.
Of the 154 firearm deaths involving children from 2018 to 2022, 82% were male and 18% were female, with 70% of the deaths occurring in the 15-17 age group.
In 7% of those deaths, the firearm was locked and in 36% the gun was left unlocked with 20% of guns left loaded, according to the report.
The report said that 52% of the firearms used in the incidents were owned by the child’s parent or caregiver.
