Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

In recent history, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or more commonly referred to as SIDS, is the most common cause of death for infants under the age of one year in the western part of the globe, but SIDS also occurs throughout the world. More commonly occurring during sleep in the child’s place of rest such as a crib, although it can take place anywhere and at any time; such as in baby carriages, safety car seats, or even someone’s arms. There is no sign or warning, definitive onset, and there are no products to prevent SIDS from happening. This paper will briefly cover the background and theories relating to the cause of SIDS and the preparations suggested to aid in the safety of an infant at risk. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a leading cause

The Center for Disease Control (2011) in Atlanta, Georgia states that “Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths or SUIDs are defined as deaths in infants less than 1 year of age that occur suddenly and unexpectedly, and whose cause of death are not immediately obvious prior to investigation.” It has been documented that every year in the United States, approximately 4,000 infants perish in a sudden onset episode of not apparent origin. Roughly fifty percent of the Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths are due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, SIDS. Through research the organization Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Council tell us that there are three frequently reported causes of Sudden Unexplained Infant Death and SIDS (2013). They are “cause unknown, accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.” The council goes on to provide statistics taken from the most recent census, “In 2010, 2,063 deaths were reported as SIDS, 918 as cause unknown, and 629 as accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed.” The CDC collects new data on infant death every five years. The CDPHP council has taken community measures to provide teaching and grief

Since the end of the 20th century they have strayed away from defining cases as SIDS and leaning more toward “death related to unknown origin”. This classifies the deaths as accidental and suggests that due to inconsistent practices in investigations it is unclear how one can unilaterally perform the same diagnostics in order to reach the same conclusion of SIDS, seeing as there is no known cause. Frustrating as it may be, this method actually allows the parents to feel less responsible and blame shifts more to a medical perspective rather than that of faulty home environment or other areas that an innocent parent could bestow blame of the death upon their self. Certain goals and standards were placed to improve research and help medical experts discover a cause. Such standards include a more standardized collection of data at the scene of the death, a promotion of consistent classification and reporting of cause of death, improve national reporting with the creation of a CDC database, and finally the reduction of SUID by using improved data to identify those at high risk. These goals have become the standard and are what guide the evidence-based practice in research today for