In unison with the safety concerns of physicians and parents, the American Heart Association is ending the Little Hats, Big Hearts™ program.

There is a substantial increase in the concern that babies who wear hats indoors have an elevated risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) due to the possibility of overheating.

For many years, the American Heart Association worked with volunteers around the country to help babies and moms celebrate American Heart Month in a special way. Thousands of volunteers hand-crafted red hats for babies born in February at participating hospitals. The hats symbolized a shared mission of promoting the importance of heart-healthy lives for everyone through the Little Hats, Big Hearts™ program.

As a global force for longer healthier, lives the American Heart Association is committing to support programs that encourage the growth of all children to reach their full potential. While the Little Hats, Big Hearts™ program is ending, this does not change the American Heart Association’s unwavering commitment to fund and support Congenital Heart Defect research and programming.