Definition: Unsafe sleep environments for infants can lead to suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment (NICHD, Common SIDS and SUID Terms and Definitions). The sudden death of an infant under one year of age that does not have an immediately obvious cause is referred to as a Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). Some cases of SUID are due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a term which is applied when no cause of death can be determined even after rigorous investigation (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention SUID/SIDS webpage).
Around 3,500 infants die from SUID/SIDS every year in the U.S. (CDC).
It is possible to reduce the risk of SUID/SIDS. Some safe sleep tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ HealthyChildren.org website include:
American Academy of Pediatrics. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Data and Statistics.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Common SIDS and SUID Terms and Definitions.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Fast Facts About SIDS.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Safe Sleep for Your Baby: Reduce the Risk of SIDS and Other Sleep-Related Causes of Infant Death (General Outreach).