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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
From WikEM
Contents
Background
- Unexpected death of infants <1yr for which no pathologic cause can be determined
- Most deaths occur between 2-4 months of age
- Rare in <1 month of age
- Diagnosis of exclusion
Risk Factors
- Prone sleeping
- Soft bedding
- Bed-sharing
- Parental smoking
- URI
- Male sex
- Prematurity / Developmental delay
- Socioeconomic disadvantage
- Maternal exposure to smoking, alcohol, drugs of abuse
Clinical Features
Differential Diagnosis
Evaluation
Management
- Infants with rigor mortis, livedo reticulrais, pH <6, or reduced temperature in absence of environmental hypothermia should not be resuscitated
See Also
References
- The Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. N Engl J Med 2009; 361:795-805
