SIDS

Question 1

What are the 5 top killers of children under 5 world wide?

Answer 1

Pneumonia
Pre-term birth complications
Diarrhoea
Intra-partum related complications
Malaria

Question 2

What’s the difference between Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy (SUDI) and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)?

Answer 2

SUDI = intake classification with multiple causes. Unexplained SUDI (without a defined cause) becomes SIDS

Question 3

How old are kids who die of SIDS? Name 5 risk factors

Answer 3

Usually between 1 - 6 months old, rare after 12 months.

Risk factors:
Male
Winter
Higher latitudes
Recent URTI
Poverty
Parental smoking
Low birth weight
Young mums

Question 4

When does SIDS usually occur (what is the child doing at the time)?

Answer 4

During sleep

Question 5

Name 5 processes that could all lead to SIDS

Answer 5

Accidental asphyxiation (overlaying)
Infanticide
Metabolic abnormality
Structural brain problem affecting cardio/resp
Cardiac conduction abnormality

Question 6

What was the intervention that reduced incidence of SIDS the most?

Answer 6

Parental education to sleep babies on back

Question 7

What is the Triple Risk Hypothesis of SIDS?

Answer 7

1. Intrinsic vulnerability
2. Vulnerable developmental stage
3. A final insult that wouldn’t usually be fatal (URTI, febrile, airway obstruction)

Question 8

What is the decision you have to make when confronted with a dead child?

Answer 8

Will I eat it boiled or roasted?

lol jkssss

Is it natural death (therefore no Coroner referral, you can write death certificate) or reportable death (don’t write death cert!)?

Question 9

What are the 2 main categories of reportable deaths?

Answer 9

If it’s unexpected, unnatural or violent, or from accident or injury

Or, if it occurs during or following a medical procedure

Question 10

What percentage of SUDI deaths are reportable?

Answer 10

100%!!! All are unexpected (by definition)