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SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the death of a child under the age of 1 year without a known cause. Almost all SIDS deaths occur during sleep. In a SIDS death, a parent or caregiver usually finds the baby in the morning deceased for no known reason. SIDS is also known as crib death or cot death.

SIDS is the most common cause of death in infants aged 2 to 4 months. There are many factors involved in assessing the risk of SIDS, and none of these factors is an absolute cause. More infant boys die from SIDS than girls do and more SIDS deaths occur in the winter. More babies of African descent die of SIDS each year in the United States than caucasian babies, and more Native American babies die than those of African descent. More babies die of SIDS in the winter than in the summer. A baby is also more at risk for SIDS if he experienced premature birth, low birth weight, poor pre-natal care, and alcohol, tobacco, or other drug use during pregnancy by the mother. Babies born to mothers under 20, babies born to mothers with children close together, and babies who sleep on their stomachs are also at increased risk of SIDS.

Many studies have tried to determine what exactly causes SIDS and there are many theories, but none have been proven yet as to what exactly does cause it. There are no symptoms or warning signs for SIDS. There are ways to try and prevent SIDS though. Putting a baby to sleep on his/her back instead of their stomach can help, not allowing cigarette smoke around your child can decrease chances of SIDS. Do not allow your child to sleep in the same bed that you sleep in, unless your baby is separated from you by a barrier of some sort. Do not drink alcohol, use medications or any sedatives if your baby sleeps in the same bed with you, and if your child sleeps in a crib, cradle, or bassinet, remove any blankets, stuffed animals, or anything that could suffocate your child while they are sleeping.

Some previously thought that postnatal vaccinations given between two and four months had some bearing on the risk of SIDS, but it is now known that vaccinations do not increase the risk of SIDS.

SIDS is only diagnosed after a thorough examination of the body, an autopsy and reports, have shown unexplained reasons for death of the child. It is thought that babies who die of SIDS do not suffer in any way. There have been a few reports of babies found with a small amount of blood-tinged froth at the mouth, but this can be a normal side effect of death and its not thought to be indicitive of any type of suffering on the part of the child.