SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a term used to describe the unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant, typically during sleep, within the first year of life. Despite extensive autopsies and death scene investigations, the cause of death in SIDS cases remains unidentified. SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants aged 1 month to 1 year in developed countries. It is diagnosed by exclusion, meaning all other possible causes of death must be ruled out, including infection, genetic conditions, and accidental suffocation.

From a medical perspective, SIDS is thought to result from a combination of multiple factors, including physiological abnormalities in the infant's development, specifically in the brain regions responsible for arousal and breathing control. Other identified risk factors include prone sleeping position, overheating, premature birth, and smoke exposure. The "triple-risk model" is a framework for understanding SIDS, suggesting that it occurs when three factors coincide: a vulnerable infant, a critical developmental period in homeostatic control, and an exogenous stressor. Current recommendations to reduce the risk include placing babies on their backs to sleep, using a firm sleep surface, breastfeeding, and avoiding exposure to tobacco smoke, excessive bedding, and overheating.