Also called: Also called: Crib death, SIDS
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year old. Some people call SIDS "crib death" because many babies who die of SIDS are found in their cribs.
SIDS is the leading cause of death in children between one month and one year old. Most SIDS deaths occur when babies are between two months and four months old. Although health care professionals don't know what causes SIDS, they do know ways to reduce the risk. These include
- Placing babies on their backs to sleep, even for short naps - "tummy time" is for when babies are awake and someone is watching
- Using a firm sleep surface, such as a crib mattress covered with a fitted sheet
- Keeping soft objects and loose bedding away from sleep area
- Making sure babies don't get too hot - keep the room at a comfortable temperature for an adult
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- SIDS Q & A(First Candle/SIDS Alliance) - http://www.firstcandle.org/expectantparents/exp_reduce_qa.html
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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sids.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/general/sids_esp.html
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Sudden_Infant_Death_Syndrome.cfm
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/sudden-infant-death-syndrome/DS00145/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
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What Is SIDS?(National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center) - Links to PDF - http://www.sidscenter.org/documents/SIDRC/WhatIsSIDS.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://www.sidscenter.org/documents/SIDRC/QueEsSMIS.pdf
- Bed Clothes That Cover Head May Increase SIDS Risk(09/17/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69368.html
- Bacterial Infections May Be Overlooked in SIDS Cases(09/11/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69140.html
- Mom's Smoking During Pregnancy ups Preemie's SIDS Risk(08/29/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68715.html
- Safe Sleep for My Grandbaby: Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - Links to PDF - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/safe_sleep_grandbaby.pdf
- Safe Sleep for Your Baby: Ten Ways to Reduce the Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/safe_sleep_gen.cfm
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Risk Factors(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/SIDS/riskfactors.htm
- After Sudden Infant Death: Facing Anniversaries, Holidays, and Special Events(National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center) - Large PDF file - http://www.sidscenter.org/documents/SIDRC/FacingAnniversaries.pdf
- Death of a Child, the Grief of the Parents: A Lifetime Journey(National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center) - http://www.sidscenter.org/Bereavement/LifetimeJourney.html?fromparent=parent&id=4&heading=DeathOfAChild
- Friends & Relatives(First Candle/SIDS Alliance) - http://www.firstcandle.org/whenababy/when_cop_fr.html
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2060727&content_id={DD8EAC73-1371-4129-9D82-0220D296D5E9}¬oc=1
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Vaccines(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/sids_faq.htm
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and the Child Care Provider(Maternal and Child Health Bureau, First Candle/SIDS Alliance) - Links to PDF - http://www.firstcandle.org/FC-PDF3/sids%20&%20child%20care%20provider.pdf
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Sudden Infant Death(National Institutes of Health) - http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=%22sudden+infant+death%22
- Fewer Babies Die of SIDS As Parents Heed Warnings(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/research/sids_drop.html
- Research on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/womenshealth/research/pregbirth/sids.cfm
- Article: International trends in sudden infant death syndrome: stabilization of rates... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18762537&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Parental consent for research and sudden infant death. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18761215&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Bacterial toxins and sudden unexpected death in infancy. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18761214&tool=MedlinePlus
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=sudden+infant+death[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline+[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- When a Baby Has Died(First Candle/SIDS Alliance) - http://www.firstcandle.org/whenababy/whenababy.html
- American Academy of Pediatrics - http://www.aap.org/
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First Candle/SIDS Alliance - http://www.firstcandle.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.firstcandle.org/enespanol/index.htm
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
- National Sudden Infant Death Resource Center - http://www.sidscenter.org/
- FASTATS: Infant Health(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/infant_health.htm
- Bereavement - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bereavement.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/