Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

In cases of child deaths, the differentiation between natural and unnatural death is essential. However, in some cases this differentiation is rather difficult as children tend to injure themselves and are often involved in accidents. Therefore, with every atypical injury to a child, abuse or neglect must be considered and a forensic specialist should be consulted if there is any doubt. This article will provide an overview of findings, risk factors and prevention of sudden infant death as well as typical signs of child abuse.

In the past, BRUE was known as an apparent life-threatening event. Per this definition, one can conclude that BRUE is a clinical manifestation rather than a true diagnosis and a variety of conditions might lead to BRUE. Causes for BRUE can be identified and, thus, be treated accordingly. SIDS, on the other hand, is defined as the sudden death of an infant without an apparent cause per history and where a complete physical examination does not reveal a clear cause for the death.