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Introduction

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as the sudden and unexplained death of a child age <12 months.  SIDS is one of the leading causes of infant mortality worldwide.  It is a diagnosis of exclusion following a thorough yet inconclusive investigation that includes a detailed review of the death scene, autopsy, and clinical history.

Pathogenesis and risk factors

The pathogenesis of SIDS is uncertain but is thought to involve the simultaneous occurrence of multiple events, a framework often referred to as the triple-risk model:

  • Susceptible infant:  Infants are at increased risk if an underlying brainstem abnormality (eg, delayed brain maturation) or genetic defect (eg, defective proteins in myocardial conduction) impairs CNS arousal in response to hypoxia and hypercarbia (eg, airway obstruction).
  • Environmental factors

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