Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - The Mysterious Malady, Sids Research, Risk Factors, "back To Sleep" Campaign, Sids In History
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Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also called crib death, is the death without apparent organic cause of an infant under the age of one year. A diagnosis of SIDS can only be made after experts have investigated the death scene, autopsied the dead infant, reviewed the baby's medical history, and ruled out all other possible explanations. About 7,000 babies die of SIDS each year in the United States. This baffling disorder is the leading cause of death in infants ages 1-12 months. Although SIDS cannot be prevented completely, research has shown that parents can reduce the risk by putting their baby to sleep on its back (supine position) or side rather than on its stomach.
For unknown clinical reasons, in the United States, African American and Native American babies are up to three times more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian infants. In all cases and groups, the majority of SIDS victims are male infants.
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The SIDS definition is purposefully vague and reflects how little actually is known about what causes the syndrome. SIDS victims seem to stop breathing in their sleep. They typically are found lifeless, limp, and blue. Often they have blood-tinged mucus coming from their mouth or nose. Ninety percent of SIDS victims die before six months. Most appear perfectly healthy beforehand or at most have a …
The age of its victims offers an important clue towards better understanding SIDS. Almost all sudden deaths occur between one week and six months of age, a time of rapid growth and change in a baby. Neurological control of the baby's circulatory and respiratory systems is still evolving. Some scientists theorize that very subtle flaws in the baby's physical development are responsibl…
By studying large groups of young infants, a few of whom eventually go on to die of SIDS, scientists have found certain factors that occur more frequently in sudden death victims. For example, a genetic defect in an enzyme involved in fatty acid metabolism has been identified as a possible cause of death in a small percentage of SIDS victims. With this defect, the infant's brain can become …
SIDS occurs more frequently in New Zealand and the United States than in Japan and China. Within the United States it is more common in African-American babies than Hispanic babies. These differences suggest that certain cultural factors of baby care, particularly how he or she is put to bed, may affect the incidence of SIDS. Scientists do not understand exactly why these differences matter—…
The phenomenon of sudden death in babies has been recorded for centuries. SIDS has been described as a distinct disorder for nearly a century. In 1979 it was officially accepted as a cause of death. The current definition of the condition was developed by the National Institutes of Health in 1989. As sleeping habits for families and babies changed over time so have the explanations offered for sud…
Parents who suffer the loss of a child to SIDS typically feel immense sorrow and grief over the unexpected and mysterious death. They also may feel guilty and blame themselves for not being more vigilant although there was nothing they could have done. Parents and other relatives of SIDS victims often find it helpful to attend support groups designed to offer them a safe place to express their emo…
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