Sudden infant death syndrome, SIDS, Baby death, Prone sleep, Medicolegal, Autopsy

Description :   Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are deaths that occur among infants aged younger than 12

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What is SIDS?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are deaths that occur among infants aged younger than 12 months, occurring suddenly, unexpectedly and without any obvious cause. Whenever this happens, a complete investigation is warranted. In the United States, around 4,500 infants die of unknown immediate identifiable cause per year. The diagnosis of SIDS is made when despite a complete investigation, review of the clinical and social history of the baby, the death cannot be explained. It is the most common cause of death among infants aged between 1-12 months in the United States. It most commonly arises in infants aged between 2 and 4 months. It has also been observed to be predominant among non-Hispanic black and American Indian infants.

The diagnosis of SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that all other causes such as poisoning, hypo- or hyperthermia, child abuse, neglect, homicide or suffocation should be ruled out first. There are several factors that can contribute to SIDS, including sleeping on the stomach, sharing the bed with another adult or child and mothers who smoke. Most SIDS deaths arise in males.

What are the causes of SIDS?

By definition, the exact cause of SIDS is not known. However, studies have shown that there are some factors that may be contributing to SIDA. These include:

·         Brain defects: If a baby is born with certain defects in the brain, they are more likely to die of SIDS. This is because they are not able to properly control their breathing and arousal from sleep.

·         Low birth weight: Similarly, being born prematurely or being born with a low birth weight makes it more likely that the baby’s brain has not matured properly to ensure adequate breathing control.

·         Sleeping position: It has been observed that sleeping in the prone position (lying flat on the stomach) most commonly results in SIDS. This may be because the babies tend to have breathing difficulties in that particular position.

·         Sleeping on a soft surface: If your baby is placed lying face down on a soft mattress or fluffy material, this can result in obstruction in the infant’s airway.

·         Bed sharing: Statistics show that if a baby shares the same bed with another adult or child, death from SIDS is more likely to occur.

What are the risk factors of SIDS?

The following factors can increase the risk of SIDS:

·         Being a boy

·         Being aged between 2 and 4 months

·         Being a non-Hispanic black and American Indian infant

·         Having siblings or cousins who died from SIDS

·         Having parents who are smokers

·         Being born prematurely

What are the signs and symptoms of SIDS?

The typical presentation of SIDS starts with an infant who has been put to bed, most commonly after having been fed. The parents usually check on the baby regularly, which is usually uneventful. However, at some point the baby is found dead in the same position he/she has been placed at the beginning of naptime or bedtime.

In most cases, the baby was apparently healthy before the event. However, some parents have reported that their babies “were not feeling themselves” hours preceding death. These may include:

·         Breathing difficulties

·         Abnormal movement of the extremities

·         Changes in the skin colour (baby turning blue)

·         Diarrhoea

·         Vomiting

·         Lethargy

How is the diagnosis of SIDS made?

To make the diagnosis of SIDS, your doctor or any other investigating agent will ask you a series of questions concerning your baby:

·         Did the infant ingest any foreign body or other substances?

·         Does the infant have a history of Apnea (abnormal pauses in breathing)?

·         How was the infant prior to the event?

·         What is the timing of the last meal before bed/naptime?

·         What was the position of the baby?

·         What was done by the parents when the baby was found inert in the crib/bed?

It is also important for the professionals to investigate for any other possible cause of death such as    Read more