Go through the references to know more about the researches going on.

1. SCHOOL OF STUDIES IN ZOOLOGY,
JIWAJI UNIVERSITY, GWALIOR
TOPIC - SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS)
PRESENTED TO :-
HEAD OF THE
DEPARTMENT,
SCHOOL OF STUDIES IN
ZOOLOGY,
JIWAJI UNIVERSITY
PRESENTED BY :-
APOORVA MATHUR
M.Sc I SEM.

2. SYNOPSIS
• INTRODUCTION
• CAUSES OF SIDS
• RISK FACTORS
• DIAGNOSIS
• PREVENTION
• CONCLUSION
• REFERENCES

3. INTRODUCTION
• SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome) is the sudden, unexplained death of an
infant younger than 1 year old.
• It is described as one of the most mysterious disorders in medicine
• It is the leading cause of death in children between 1 month and 1 year of age
• In 1969, a National Institute of Health consensus conference led to the first
standardized definition of sudden infant death as the “Sudden death of an infant
or young child, which is unexpected by history, and in which a thorough post
mortem examination fails to demonstrate an adequate cause of death”
• Although SIDS was defined as a syndrome and thus potentially the result of more
than one disease, many observers still viewed SIDS as a single entity because of
its distinctive features, which included a peak incidence at 2 to 4 months of age,
male predominance, and the presence of intrathoracic petechiae

4. CAUSES
Health care providers and researchers don't know the exact cause, but there are
many theories.
Research evidences suggest that infants who die from sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS) are born with brain abnormalities or defects. These defects are
found within a network of nerve cells that rely on a chemical called serotonin that
allows one nerve cell to send a signal to another nerve cell. The cells are located in
the part of the brain that probably controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure,
temperature, and waking from sleep.
Scientists believe that brain defects alone may not be enough to cause a SIDS
death. Evidence suggests that other events must also occur for an infant to die
from SIDS. Researchers use the Triple-Risk Model to explain this concept.

5. RISK FACTORS
1) AT-RISK INFANT
An infant has an unknown problem- such as a genetic change or a brain defect—that puts
him or her at risk for SIDS. Health care providers, parents, and caregivers don't know about
these problems, so they don't know the infant is at risk.
2) IMPORTANT TIME IN INFANT'S DEVELOPMENT
During the first 6 months after birth, infants go through many quick phases of growth that
can change how well the body controls or regulates itself. Also, infant's bodies are learning
how to respond to their environment.
3) STRESSORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
All infants have stressors in their environments - sometimes called external stressors
because they are outside the body. Being placed to sleep on the stomach, overheating during
sleep, and exposure to cigarette smoke are all examples of external stressors. Infants who
have no problems like those explained above can usually correct or overcome external
stressors to survive and thrive. But an infant who has an unknown problem and whose body
systems are immature and unstable might not be able to overcome these stressors.

6. According to the triple-risk model, all three things have to be
present for SIDS to occur.
Removing one of these factors - such as external stressors - may
tip the balance in favour of the infant's survival.

7. FIVE STEPS IN THE PUTATIVE TERMINAL
RESPIRATORY PATHWAY ASSOCIATED WITH THE
SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME

8. DIAGNOSIS
A baby is determined to have died from SIDS if no cause of death can be identified following
a death scene investigation, an autopsy and a review of the clinical history. Thus, SIDS is a
diagnosis of exclusion. SIDS as a cause of death is determined only when all other causes
have been excluded.

9. PREVENTION
• Always place infants on their backs to sleep, for naps and at night, to reduce
the risk of SIDS. The back sleep position is always the safest position for all
infants, including preterm babies. Keep in mind that every sleep time counts.
• Use a firm sleep surface, covered by a fitted sheet, to reduce the risk of SIDS
and other sleep-related causes of infant death. Firm sleep surfaces can include
mattresses in safety-approved cribs, bassinets, and portable play areas. Never
place babies to sleep on soft surfaces, such as on a couch or sofa, pillows,
quilts, sheepskins, or blankets.
• Room sharing- Keeping the baby's sleep area in the same room where you or
others sleep reduces the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant
death. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair
alone, with you, or with anyone else. If you bring your baby into your bed to
feed, make sure to put him or her back in the separate sleep area, such as a
safety-approved crib, bassinet, or portable play area, in your room next to

10. • Keep soft objects, toys, and loose bedding out of your baby's sleep area to reduce
the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death. Don't use pillows,
blankets, quilts, sheepskins, or crib bumpers anywhere in your baby's sleep area.
Evidence does not support using crib bumpers to prevent injury. In fact, crib
bumpers can cause serious injuries and even death. Keeping them out of baby's
sleep area is the best way to avoid these dangers.
• To reduce the risk of SIDS, women should:
1) Get regular health care during pregnancy (prenatal care), and
2) Not smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs during pregnancy or after the baby is
born
• Breastfeed your baby to reduce the risk of SIDS. Breastfeeding has many health
benefits for mother and infant.
• Vaccination - Higher rates of DTP immunisation is associated with lower rates of
SIDS supporting recommendations on timely DTP immunization

11. CONCLUSION
SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is the sudden, unexplained death of
an infant younger than 1 year old.
Current evidence suggests that SIDS involves a convergence of stressors
that probably results in the asphyxia of a vulnerable infant who has
defective cardiorespiratory or arousal defense systems during a critical
developmental period when immature defense mechanisms are not fully
integrated.
A number of measures have been found to be effective in preventing SIDS
including changing the sleeping position, breastfeeding, limiting soft
bedding, immunizing the infant and vaccination. Thus, prevention is the
only cure of this disease.

12. REFERENCES
• Kinney, hannah C., And bradley T. Thach. "The sudden infant death
syndrome." New england journal of medicine 361.8 (2009): 795-805
• American academy of pediatrics task force on sudden infant death syndrome.
(2011; reaffirmed 2014, october). SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths:
expansion of recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment.
Pediatrics, 128(5), e1341–e1367, from
http://pediatrics.Aappublications.Org/content/128/5/e1341.Long
• Vaccines and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) | Vaccine Safety | CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Concerns/sids.html
• Hauck, F. R., Thompson, J. M., Tanabe, K. O., Moon, R. Y., & Vennemann, M.
M. (2011). Breastfeeding and reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome:
A meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 128, 103–110, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21669892

13. THANK YOU