Many people are familiar with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also called SIDS. But many people are not aware of Sudden Unexplained Infant Death, or SUID.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is just one cause of Sudden Unexplained Infant Death, or SUID. Ruling out SIDS in the death of an infant requires a thorough investigation, including a complete autopsy and the gathering of information regarding the infant’s medical and personal history. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to diagnose whether or not a death was SIDS related or caused by another form of SUID.
Other circumstances that can be classified as a Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID) include the following:
(From The Centers for Disease Control)
Accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed
(e.g., the infant suffocates while trapped between an adult bed frame and the wall)
Other accidental suffocation or strangulation
(e.g., the infant suffocates by a plastic bag)
Accidental poisoning
(e.g., the infant eats some adult aspirin that were left on a coffee table)
Obstruction of respiratory tract
(e.g., the infant chokes on a coin, food, or other object)
Accidental falls
(e.g., the infant falls down the stairs)
Neglect, abandonment and other maltreatment syndromes
(e.g., the infant dies after being left alone for a period of time)
Assault and homicide
(e.g., the infant dies after someone harms them on purpose)
Other symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified
(e.g., the infant dies of unknown cause, or unexplained heart or breathing failure)
Accidental suffocation in bed is another common fear for parents and professionals who oppose The Family Bed. If you do decide to co-sleep with your baby, make sure you take precautions to avoid this.
We’ll cover safe ways to co-sleep in the next installment of The Family Bed.
For Further Reference:
http://www.cdc.gov/SIDS/index.htm