What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is one of the leading causes of death among infants who are one month to one year old in New Zealand. SIDS is defined as the sudden death of an infant which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and review of the clinical history. SIDS is therefore a diagnosis of exclusion, affixed only once all known and possible causes of death have been ruled out.

SIDS Facts

  • SIDS claims the lives of approximately 45 infants in New Zealand each year.
  • Deaths occur quickly and unexpectedly to apparently healthy infants, usually during periods of sleep.
  • Most SIDS victims are between two and four months of age.
  • SIDS occurs in families of all races and socioeconomic levels.
  • SIDS is NOT caused by suffocation, choking, immunisations or vaccinations. It is not contagious, nor is it a result of neglect, illness, or child abuse.
  • It can not be predicted or prevented, and can, and does, claim any baby, in spite of parents doing everything right.

The Impact of SIDS

The sudden, unexpected death of an infant to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a tragic loss. Death happens suddenly, and the family often has no time to prepare. The infant may recently have been given a clean bill of health from the doctor.

The death of an infant from SIDS disrupts the natural order and is a traumatic event that affects the family for the rest of their lives. The sudden, unexpected death of an infant threatens parents' safety and security and forces them to confront their own mortality. The lack of a discernible cause, the suddenness of the tragedy and the involvement of the legal system make a SIDS death especially difficult, leaving a great sense of loss and a need for understanding. The impact of SIDS is extensive and affects a myriad of people from parents, siblings, and grandparents to extended family, friends, babysitters, and co-workers. Families are directly helped through information and support services to alleviate their guilt and aid in understanding this devastating syndrome.

Parents often complain of physical symptoms such as aches, tightness in the throat, loss of appetite, insomnia, and feelings of loneliness and isolation. They are often fearful of "going crazy" as they continue to hear the baby cry at night or wake to care for an infant who is no longer there.

The lack of a definitive cause of death, even after autopsy, does little to alleviate any feelings of guilt the parents may have about their responsibility for the death. They often blame themselves. The "if onlys" plague parents who wonder if there was something in the baby's behavior or health they may have missed. A generally uninformed public, including family members and health care professionals, can add to the grief and guilt of the family by voicing incorrect assumptions. Parents have been accused of neglecting or abusing their child because of mistaken information. They need to know that they did not cause, nor could they have prevented, the death. It is not their fault.

Intervention

It is possible to prevent serious family problems resulting from a lack of information and support. Knowledge of accurate information about SIDS and an awareness of the needs and feelings of the surviving members can do much to alleviate needless suffering.

Parents need to talk about their baby. They need to talk about the events of his/her life and death, feelings related to their own grieving process, reactions of others and concerns about subsequent or surviving siblings. Immediate intervention can answer the family's questions and begin to provide them with an understanding, of their feelings.