WHAT IS SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the "sudden death of an infant under one year of age which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and review of the clinical history." [Willinger M., James LS, Catz C. Defining the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): deliberations of an expert panel convened by the National Institute of child Health and Human Development. Pediatric Pathology. 1991:11:677-684]

Typically, the infant is put down to sleep at night and is found dead in the morning. However, there are instances when infants have died while being held. Death occurs while the infant is sleeping; it is painless, rapid and silent. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the leading cause of death of infants between 1 month and 1 year of age. However, SIDS has occurred within the first month to 18 months of life. SIDS claims the lives of 2,000 to 2,500 infants annually in the United States.

African American infants are two to five times more likely than Caucasian infants to die of SIDS, and American Indian infants are about three times more susceptible. Also, more boys are victims than girls.