Sleeping infants safely - considerations for GPs.
The sudden death of an infant is a traumatic experience for both families and health practitioners. The most common cause of sudden infant death is SIDS, defined as 'the sudden and unexpected death of an infant under 1 year of age, with onset of lethal episode apparently occurring during sleep, that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation including performance of a complete autopsy review of the circumstances of death and clinical history'. In 2004, SIDS accounted for 4.5% of deaths in infants aged less than 1 year in New South Wales. Evidence suggests the most common age of death from SIDS is 2-5 months, with a peak incidence at around 3-4 months.
Wilson
Leigh
L
School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales. abbeyhill@bigpond.com
Quine
Susan
S
Lewis
Milton
M
D003469:Culture; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012907:Smoking; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*