Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - Definition & Explanation for Mothers

Table of Contents

Definition

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby, typically less than a year old. It’s often associated with sleep and is sometimes referred to as “crib death” because infants often die while supposedly resting. The exact cause is unknown, but it’s believed to be associated with defects in the portion of an infant’s brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep.

Key Takeaways

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. The cause of SIDS is unknown, although it might be associated with abnormalities in the portion of an infant’s brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep.
SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs. It usually occurs between 1 month to one year of age, with the majority of deaths occurring between the ages of 2 and 4 months.
Precautions can reduce the risk of SIDS. These include placing your baby on his or her back to sleep, providing a smoke-free environment, using a firm sleep surface, keeping the sleep area clear of objects and maintaining a comfortable room temperature.

Importance

The term Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as cot death or crib death, is important because it refers to the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old.

SIDS is crucial to understand as it is one of the leading causes of death among infants less than one year of age.

It’s particularly important for parents and caregivers to be aware of, as certain practices, such as maintaining a safe sleeping environment, can help reduce the risk.

Knowledge about SIDS can contribute significantly to infant care strategies, guiding new mothers and the overall medical community on preventive measures to safeguard infant health and wellbeing.

Explanation

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a term used to describe the unanticipated and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant, typically during sleep. The term serves to categorize these tragic instances that typically occur between the ages of one month and one year, where the infant’s death remains unexplained even after a thorough case investigation, including a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history.

The purpose of defining this syndrome is not only to make a clear distinction in medical and health-related conversations but also to guide intensive research efforts aimed at determining its causes. Using the term enables health professionals, parents, and researchers to communicate effectively about the condition, thereby promoting increased awareness and understanding.

Since the exact causes of SIDS are still unknown, this term serves as a placeholder until more conclusive answers are found through ongoing research efforts. As such, labeling these unexplained deaths as SIDS also helps shape public health policies and prompts the creation of guidelines aimed at reducing its occurrence, such as safe sleeping recommendations.

Examples of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a term used for the sudden, unexpected death of an infant under one year of age that remains unexplained even after a thorough investigation. Here are three real-world examples:

Case One: A 3-month-old girl in Omaha, Nebraska, was found unresponsive in her crib. Her parents had put her down to sleep on her back, as suggested by pediatric guidelines, but when they went to check on her a few hours later, she had stopped breathing. Despite their immediate attempt at CPR and emergency services promptly arriving, the baby could not be resuscitated. All tests and autopsy results came back normal, and there were no signs of illness or smoke exposure. Her cause of death was recorded as SIDS.

Case Two: A baby boy in Toronto, Canada was just 7-month-old when his parents found him lifeless in his bed one morning. The parents had followed all pediatric guidelines, including placing the baby on his back to sleep, avoiding soft bedding, keeping the sleep area smoke-free, and using a firm sleep surface. An extensive investigation, including a full autopsy, detailed examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history, found no cause of death. This is another tragic example of SIDS.

Case Three: An example in London, UK, a healthy 5-month-old boy had a normal bedtime routine and was put to sleep in his cot. Later that night, his parents found him unresponsive. Despite emergency services’ quick action, he, unfortunately, couldn’t be revived. Investigations and autopsy reports didn’t reveal any explainable cause of illness, suffocation, or other contributors to his death. The grief-stricken family was left with SIDS as the unexplainable cause of their loss. In all these cases, it is important to remember that SIDS is not caused by anything the parents did or did not do. It is unpredictable and, currently, unpreventable. It’s the leading cause of death among infants aged 1 month to 1 year.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) – FAQs

What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained passing, usually during sleep, of seemingly healthy babies less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the deaths often happen when babies are in their cribs.

Is SIDS common?

SIDS is the leading cause of death in United States for babies between 1 month and 1 year old. However, thanks to safe sleep education, the rate of SIDS deaths has declined significantly.

What are some risk factors for SIDS?

The exact cause of SIDS is unknown, but several risk factors have been identified, including: sleep position, smoke exposure, overheating, and lack of breastfeeding.

Can SIDS be prevented?

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent SIDS, but there are steps you can take to make your baby’s sleep environment as safe as possible. These include: back-to-sleep, use a firm sleep surface, keep soft objects and loose bedding out of the crib, and consider offering a pacifier.

What is ‘Back-to-Sleep’?

‘Back-to-Sleep’ is a national campaign aimed at educating parents and caregivers about the importance of putting infants to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS.