Which condition is the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant?

Which condition is the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant?

• A. Laryngitis
• B. URI
• C. TB
• D. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Answer: (D)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is defined as the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant, typically during sleep, for which a thorough investigation—including autopsy, death-scene investigation, and review of the clinical history—fails to identify a cause. It is considered a diagnosis of exclusion. Most cases occur in infants from about 1 month to 1 year old, with a peak around 2 to 4 months. Risk factors include sleeping on the stomach or side, soft bedding, overheating, maternal smoking during pregnancy or after birth, and bed-sharing. Preventive steps are to always place the baby on the back to sleep on a firm, bare mattress, keep soft objects and loose bedding out of the sleep area, avoid overheating, and consider room-sharing without bed-sharing. While laryngitis, URI, and TB are real medical conditions, they describe illnesses with identifiable symptoms or infectious processes, not the sudden death of a seemingly healthy infant.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is defined as the sudden, unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant, typically during sleep, for which a thorough investigation—including autopsy, death-scene investigation, and review of the clinical history—fails to identify a cause. It is considered a diagnosis of exclusion. Most cases occur in infants from about 1 month to 1 year old, with a peak around 2 to 4 months. Risk factors include sleeping on the stomach or side, soft bedding, overheating, maternal smoking during pregnancy or after birth, and bed-sharing. Preventive steps are to always place the baby on the back to sleep on a firm, bare mattress, keep soft objects and loose bedding out of the sleep area, avoid overheating, and consider room-sharing without bed-sharing. While laryngitis, URI, and TB are real medical conditions, they describe illnesses with identifiable symptoms or infectious processes, not the sudden death of a seemingly healthy infant.