SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS)

- “Crib death,” most common cause of death for children under the age of 1
- Unexplained death of an infant less than one year of age.
- Suspected when a seemingly healthy infant is found dead following a period of sleep without
any sign of distress or serious illness prior to the incident.
- May occur in infants and children lesser than 16 months, but risk peaks in infants between 2 and
4 months of age.

CAUSES:

1. Unknown, however SIDS may be associated with abnormalities in the part of an infant's brain
that is responsible for sleeping and arousal from sleep.
2. A combination of factors can make an infant vulnerable to SIDS and may vary from child to child.
Some of these factors may include:
- Respiratory infection
- Low birth weight
- Sleeping position (on stomach or side)
- Preterm or premature birth
- Overheating
- Unsafe crib or old crib
- Sharing bed with parents or pets
3. Risk factors:
- Sex (males are more at a higher risk than females)
- Race (African American and native American descent are twice more likely to die of SIDS
than other races)
- Babies who live with people that smoke are at a higher risk.
4. The mother during pregnancy may affect the baby's risk of SIDS, especially if she is:
- Drug or alcohol user
- Cigarette smoker
- Under the age of 20
- Has an inadequate prenatal care.

SYMPTOMS:

1. SIDS do not have any noticeable symptoms as it happens unexpectedly and sudden.

DIAGNOSIS:

1. The cause of an infant’s death can be determined through processes of investigation. This
investigation may involve collecting information and conducting tests and procedures. The
certain investigation that helps in determining SIDS death may include:
- Postmortem laboratory tests that are done to rule out other causes of death
- Autopsy to determine the exact cause of death
- A thorough investigation of the crime scene
- Parents, caregiver, and other family members may be interviewed. Items may also be
collected.
 - Reviewing the family or medical history. This allows knowing if there has been a
previous history of unexplained infant deaths, cardiac death, and genetic disorders.

PREVENTION:

1. Currently, there is no way of predicting which infants are at for SIDS, but reducing the risk of
SIDS through following these precautions:
- Breastfeeding
- Placing baby on their backs to sleep (during night and nap times)
- Keeping baby’s face clear of coverings
- Avoid overheating the baby
- Have the baby sleep in a crib or other structures designed for infants (should be at least
the first 6 months or year)
- Don’t allow smokers around the baby
- Firm sleep surface should be used, avoid fluffy loose beddings
- Immunization
- Educate the family members and caregiver about the risk of SIDS