Crib Death - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden infant death syndrome, also known as SIDS, is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant under one year of age. No cause for the death can be found. Because many SIDS babies die in their cribs, this syndrome is often called crib death. But cribs are not the cause of SIDS.

What is going on in the body?

SIDS is the leading cause of death for babies between the ages of one month to one year. Most SIDS deaths occur between age 2 and 4 months. Most SIDS infants die silently, apparently in their sleep.

The good news is that, less than ten years ago, nearly twice as many babies were dying of SIDS in the US as are today. This decrease in SIDS is directly related to the campaign to educate parents to place infants on their backs - instead of sides or stomachs - to sleep.

Current research is focused on the "triple-risk model." This theory says that three things must happen at once for SIDS to occur:

This theory is still being tested, but evidence so far seems to strongly support it. Many studies are going on today, and experts hope to have more answers soon about what causes SIDS and who is at risk for it.

What are the causes and risks of the condition?

While there are known risk factors for SIDS, none of these factors clearly points to a distinct cause for SIDS. Many of these factors are also risk factors for the sudden death of infants from other, known causes. Risk factors linked with a higher rate of SIDS include:

In addition, research has found risk factors in the mother that may lead to an increased incidence of SIDS. These factors include the following: