Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Overview and Update

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 112-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger W. Byard ◽  
Henry F. Krous
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Cigarette Smoke Exposure ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Death Scene ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
The Past ◽  
Full Investigation

The past decade and a half has seen marked changes in the epidemiology of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The avoidance of certain risk factors such as sleeping prone and cigarette smoke exposure has resulted in the death rate falling dramatically. Careful evaluation of environmental factors and endogenous characteristics has led to a greater understanding of the complexities of the syndrome. The development and implementation of death scene and autopsy protocols has led to standardization in approaches to unexpected infant deaths with increasing diagnoses of accidental asphyxia. Despite these advances, there is still confusion surrounding the diagnosis, with deaths being attributed to SIDS in many communities and countries where death scene investigations and autopsies have not been conducted. The following review provides a brief overview of the historical background, epidemiology, pathology, and pathogenesis of SIDS. Contentious issues concerning the diagnosis and current problems are discussed. Despite calls to abandon the designation, SIDS remains a viable term for infants who die in their sleep with no evidence of accident, inflicted injury, or organic disease after a full investigation has been conducted according to standard guidelines.

scholarly journals An Approach to the Classification of Apparent Asphyxial Infant Deaths

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan W. Matshes ◽  
Emma O. Lew
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Death Certification ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
Unexpected Infant Death

Recent evidence indicates that with thorough, high quality death investigations and autopsies, forensic pathologists have recognized that many unexpected infant deaths are, in fact, asphyxial in nature. With this recognition has come a commensurate decrease in, and in some cases, abolition of, the label “sudden infant death syndrome” (SIDS). Current controversies often pertain to how and why some infant deaths are determined to be asphyxial in nature and whether or not apparent asphyxial circumstances are risk factors for SIDS, or rather, harbingers of asphyxial deaths. In an effort to sidestep these controversies, some forensic pathologists elected to instead use the noncommittal label “sudden unexpected infant death” (SUID), leading to the unfortunate consequence of SUID – like SIDS – gaining notoriety as an actual disease that could be diagnosed, studied, and ultimately cured. Although it is not possible to provide death certification guidance for every conceivable type of unexpected infant death, we recognize and propose a simple classification system for overarching themes that cover the vast majority of cases where infants die suddenly and unexpectedly.

scholarly journals Sudden infant death syndrome in Brazil: fact or fancy?

2008 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Maia Woida ◽  
Fabiano Pinto Saggioro ◽  
Maria Alice Rossato Ferro ◽  
Luiz Cesar Peres
Keyword(s):  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Brazilian Literature ◽  
True Incidence ◽  
Infant Deaths ◽  
Live Births ◽  
The City

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The true incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Brazil is unknown. The aim here was to identify SIDS cases in the city of Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, between 2000 and 2005, in order to estimate its incidence. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective analysis of data on live births and infant deaths in Ribeirão Preto and from autopsies of infants performed at the Death Verification Service of the Interior (SVOI) between 2000 and 2005. RESULTS: There were 47,356 live births and 537 deaths, with infant mortality rates ranging from 12.9‰ to 10.9‰ of live births. Among the 24 infants who died possibly due to SIDS and who were autopsied at the SVOI, six were from families living in the municipality (0.13‰ of live births): three (50%) were diagnosed as SIDS, and one each (16.66%) as indeterminate cause, bronchoaspiration and cerebral edema. Two deaths occurred in the first month of life (33.33%) and one each (16.66%) at two, four, six and eight months. Two deaths each (33.33%) occurred in the months of February and December, one each in August and October (16.66%). Four cases (66.7%) occurred in the summer and one each (16.66%) in winter and spring. There was 5:1 predominance of males over females. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of SIDS was lower than what has been reported worldwide and in the Brazilian literature, thus suggesting underdiagnosis, indicating the lack of any specific postmortem protocol for SIDS identification and showing the need to implement this.

scholarly journals Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Beyond Risk Factors

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Serafina Perrone ◽  
Chiara Lembo ◽  
Sabrina Moretti ◽  
Giovanni Prezioso ◽  
Giuseppe Buonocore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
Complex Model ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Death Scene

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as “the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age which remains unexplained after thorough investigation including a complete autopsy, death scene investigation, and detailed clinical and pathological review”. A significant decrease of SIDS deaths occurred in the last decades in most countries after the beginning of national campaigns, mainly as a consequence of the implementation of risk reduction action mostly concentrating on the improvement of sleep conditions. Nevertheless, infant mortality from SIDS still remains unacceptably high. There is an urgent need to get insight into previously unexplored aspects of the brain system with a special focus on high-risk groups. SIDS pathogenesis is associated with a multifactorial condition that comprehends genetic, environmental and sociocultural factors. Effective prevention of SIDS requires multiple interventions from different fields. Developing brain susceptibility, intrinsic vulnerability and early identification of infants with high risk of SIDS represents a challenge. Progress in SIDS research appears to be fundamental to the ultimate aim of eradicating SIDS deaths. A complex model that combines different risk factor data from biomarkers and omic analysis may represent a tool to identify a SIDS risk profile in newborn settings. If high risk is detected, the infant may be referred for further investigations and follow ups. This review aims to illustrate the most recent discoveries from different fields, analyzing the neuroanatomical, genetic, metabolic, proteomic, environmental and sociocultural aspects related to SIDS.

Distinguishing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome From Child Abuse Fatalities

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Child Abuse ◽  
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ◽  
Infant Death ◽  
Clinical History ◽  
Sudden Infant Death ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sudden Infant ◽  
Death Scene ◽  
Battered Child ◽  
Cot Death

Public and professional awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) has increased in the 28 years since the establishment of the National Sudden Infant Death Foundation, now called the National SIDS Alliance.1 Similarly, awareness of child abuse has increased in the 30 years since the publication of the first article on the battered child.2 In the majority of cases, when an infant younger than 1 year dies suddenly and unexpectedly, the cause is SIDS. Sudden infant death syndrome is far more common than infanticide. In a few difficult cases, legitimate investigations for possible child abuse have resulted in an insensitive approach to grieving parents or caretakers. This statement provides professionals with information and guidelines to avoid distressing or stigmatizing families of SIDS victims while allowing accumulation of appropriate evidence in the uncommon case of death by infanticide. INCIDENCE AND EPIDEMIOLOGY Sudden infant death syndrome, also called crib or cot death, 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 a review of the clinical history." 3 Sudden infant death is the most common cause of death between I and 12 months of age. Eighty percent of cases occur before age 5 months, with a peak incidence between 2 and 4 months of age. Sudden infant death syndrome occurs in 1.5 to 2 per 1000 live births, resulting in 6000 to 7000 infant deaths each year in the United States.4

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