Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): Who Is at Risk and How to Lower It

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden, unexplained death of a baby younger than one year. It is sometimes called "crib death," because many babies who die of SIDS are found in their cribs.

SIDS is the leading cause of death in children between one month and one year old, and most SIDS deaths happen between one and four months of age.

Who is at higher risk

• babies born prematurely;
• boys;
• African American babies;
• American Indian and Alaska Native babies.

Lowering the risk

The cause of SIDS is unknown, but there are steps that reduce the risk:

• Put your baby to sleep on their back — every time, even for short naps. "Tummy time" is for when your baby is awake and someone is watching.
• Share a room, not a bed. Have your baby sleep in your room for at least the first six months, close to you but on a separate surface designed for infants, such as a crib or bassinet.
• Use a firm sleep surface, such as a crib mattress covered with a fitted sheet.
• Keep soft objects and loose bedding out of your baby's sleep area.
• Breastfeed your baby.
• Don't let your baby get too hot. Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult.
• Don't smoke during pregnancy, and don't let anyone smoke near your baby.

Sources

Based on "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, drawing on the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NIH); a work of the United States government in the public domain.