Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history (Willinger et al., 1991).
SIDS is …
- the major cause of death in infants from 1 month to 1 year of age, with most deaths occurring between 2 and 4 months
- sudden and silent—the infant was seemingly healthy
- a death often associated with sleep and with no signs of suffering
- a recognized medical disorder
- determined only after an autopsy, an examination of the death scene, and a review of the infant’s and family’s clinical histories
- a diagnosis of exclusion
- an infant death that leaves unanswered questions, causing intense grief
SIDS is not …
- preventable, but the risk can be reduced by placing the baby on his or her back to sleep on a firm surface, by making sure the baby has a smoke-free environment, and by keeping the baby from being overheated
- suffocation
- caused by vomiting and choking or by minor illnesses such as colds or infection
- caused by the diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT) vaccines or other immunizations
- contagious
- child abuse or neglect
- the cause of every unexpected infant death
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