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SIDS

What Is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is the unexpected death of an infant under one year of

age. SIDS, sometimes known as crib death, is the major cause of death in babies from one

month to one year of age. Most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is between one and four

months old. More boys than girls are victims, and most deaths occur during the fall,

winter and early spring months. The death is sudden and unpredictable; in most cases, the

baby seems healthy. Death occurs quickly, usually during sleep time (American

Academy of Pediatrics, 2003).

Research & Current Practices

In the late 1980s, investigators realized that is was not necessary to understand the basic underlying cause or causes of SIDS in order to do something about it. Mounting evidence suggested that certain factors, such as sleeping in the prone position or exposure to cigarette smoke, were associated with an increased risk of SIDS. In the late 1980s, several groups ...

Posted by: Tricia F. Doyle

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