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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Fern R. Hauck, FAAFP, MS, MD Reviewed 04/2024
 


BASICS

  • Second leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months of age, closely following congenital malformations.

  • Third leading cause of infant mortality overall.

  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) de...

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis is made by medical examiners/coroners after thorough review of the medical history, death scene investigation, and postmortem examination. 

HISTORY

Infant usually found unresponsive ...

ONGOING CARE

General recommendations for positioning infants: 
  • Infants should be placed on their bellies frequently when awake and observed by responsible adults to prevent head flattening (plagiocepha...

REFERENCES

1
Ely DM, Driscoll AK. Infant mortality in the United States, 2020: Data from the period linked birth/infant death file. National Vital Statistics Reports: vol 71, no 5. Hyattsville, MD: Nat...

ADDITIONAL READING

SEE ALSO

Moon R, Carlin R, Hand I, et al. Evidence Base for 2022 Updated Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment to Reduce the Risk of Sleep-Related Infa...

CODES

ICD10

  • R95 Sudden infant death syndrome

  • R99 Ill-defined and unknown cause of mortality

  • W75 Accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed

SNOMED

51178009 Sudden infant death syndrome (finding) 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Although the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, several risk-reduction measures will significantly reduce an infant’s chance of dying from SIDS and other sleep-related sudden unexpected i...

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