Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is defined as an unexpected infant death (under 1 year of age) that cannot be otherwise explained by an autopsy, death scene investigation, and thorough medical history. SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning that it can exist only once all other possible causes of death have been ruled out; hence, its defining feature is that death results from the unknown. Since the mid-1900s, sudden infant death has been an increasingly important subject of medical research and pediatric advice literature, a controversial public topic of debate, and a prominent source of fear and anxiety among American parents. This entry summarizes the medical and social history of SIDS and briefly explores contemporary understandings and statistical trends related to SIDS.