DRG Category: 92

Mean LOS: 4.3 days

Description MEDICAL: Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC

classification section:



Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant under 1 year of age for reasons that remain unexplained even after autopsy. A typical scenario is when a seemingly healthy infant of 2 to 3 months of age is put to bed without concern over illness but is later found dead. SIDS occurs worldwide with an incidence of 0.2 to 3.0 per 1,000 live births. SIDS is the most common cause of death in infants under 6 months of age.

Recent statistics have shown that the prevalence has decreased following public health campaigns, such as Back to Sleep, focused on placing infants supine for sleep. This recommendation was based on studies that demonstrated that the risk of SIDS was highest for prone-sleeping infants. Although there is great uncertainty in the scientific community about risk factors for SIDS, several genetic, environmental, and social factors have been linked with SIDS. Risk factors include premature births (particularly associated with apnea or bronchopulmonary dysplasia); low birth weight; young, unmarried mother; lack of prenatal care; prenatal and postnatal maternal smoking or anemia; maternal substance use; cold weather; and low-income housing. Approximately 20% of SIDS occurs in childcare facilities. Many of these deaths occur within the first week of childcare, thereby suggesting a disruption in sleep patterns.