pediatrics
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Etiology of SIDS
The cause of SIDS is unknown, although it is most likely due to dysfunction of neural cardiorespiratory control mechanisms. The dysfunction may be intermittent or transient, and multiple mechanisms are probably involved. Factors that may be involved are the infant having a poor sleep arousal mechanism, an inability to detect elevated CO2 levels in the blood, or a Overview of Channelopathies that affects heart rhythm. Fewer than 5% of infants with SIDS have episodes of prolonged apnea before their death, so the overlap between the SIDS population and infants with recurrent prolonged apnea is very small. The definite association between a prone (on stomach) sleeping position and an increased risk of SUID has been documented strongly. ) include old or unsafe cribs, soft bedding (eg, lamb’s wool), waterbed mattresses, Sleeping Behaviors in Infants and Children with a parent/caregiver, smoking in the home, and an overheated environment. Siblings of infants who die of SIDS are 5 times more likely to die of SIDS; it is not clear whether this is related to genetics or environment (including possible abuse by the affected infant's family). Many risk factors for SIDS apply to SUID as well. 