Sudden infant death syndrome
Alternative names:
crib death; SIDS
Definition:
The unexpected, sudden death of any infant or child typically under one year old, in which an autopsy does not show an explainable cause of death.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
The cause of SIDS is unknown. Multiple theories have been postulated. Many physicians and researchers now believe that SIDS is not a single entity, but infant death caused by several different factors. These may include problems with sleep arousal and an inability to sense a build up of carbon dioxide in the blood. Almost all SIDS deaths occur without any warning or symptoms, when the infant is thought to be sleeping.
Since 1992 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has dropped from 2nd to 3rd place as the cause of death in infants between 1 month and 1 year of age. The incidence of SIDS has decreased over 40 percent since 1992 when parents were first alerted to put their babies on their side or back. The National Center for Health Statistics reports a rate of 0.784 SIDS deaths per 1,000 infants for 1996 and 0.69 SIDS deaths per 1,000 infants for 1997 (preliminary figures). The peak incidence occurs between 2 and 4 months of age (90 percent occur by 6 months of age). There is an increased incidence in winter months with the peak in January. There is also a greater incidence in native Americans and blacks.
Risk factors include babies who sleep on their stomachs (up to 4 months. of age), soft bedding in the crib (up to 1 yr. of age), multiple births, prematurity, a sibling with SIDS, maternal smoking, maternal substance abuse, young maternal age, short intervals between pregnancies, late prenatal care and low socioeconomic status. Male infants are affected more than females. While studies show an increase in these factors, the impact or importance of each factor is not well defined or understood in sudden infant death syndrome.
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