Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the name given to the occurrence of a death to a otherwise healthy infant that is unexplained and in which all other causes have been ruled out through an autopsy, medical and death scene investigation. SIDS is the cause of more deaths of babies from age one month to one year. More than approximately 7,000 babies each year have died with the cause listed as SIDS in the United States. SIDS occurs in all races, socioeconomic origins, and to all age brackets of parents.

While there is no concrete understanding of the cause of SIDS there are a few theories including stress caused by infection or other stress related factors, birth defect, failure to develop, a susceptible time period such as a rapid growth period. It is possible that with more research it may be discovered that SIDS has more than one cause.

SIDS cannot be prevented but there have been some studies that have been able to determine some risk factors such as infants who sleep on their sides or stomachs, infants who sleep on a soft surface or that have soft objects or loose bedding in the crib, infants born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, and infants who share a bed with others. Some studies have concluded that infants who are put to bed with pacifiers have a reduced risk for SIDS.

SIDS is a medical condition and not abuse. Infants who succumb to SIDS appear to be healthy prior to death. SIDS cannot be predicted or prevented. The infant who dies from SIDS does not suffer as death occurs during sleep and is a rapid death.

SIDS is not caused by external suffocation, vomiting or choking. SIDS is not contagious. SIDS is not a new sleep disorder it occurred and was recorded during biblical times as referenced in 1 Kings 3:19 in the Old Testament.

It is generally thought that the lower the birth weight the higher the risk for SIDS. Those babies born less than 3.5 pounds at birth have 4 times the risk of babies who were born at more than 5.5 pounds. Generally those infants with SIDS on a whole gained the normal range of weight after birth.

Most SIDS deaths occur between the ages of 2 months and 4 months.

Some babies who later die from SIDS experience an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE), which is when babies experience an episode of “stopped breathing”. Babies who experience multiple ALTE’s are at greater risk for SIDS.

There does seem to be a connection with heredity and SIDS as it can occur with subsequent siblings.

Male babies tend to do worse in regards to most diseases, have a greater mortality, more congenital defects and a higher overall infant mortality as well as the incidence of SIDS. More male infants die of SIDS than female infants in the first year of life.