Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is the sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of an infant younger than 1 year of age, usually during sleep. SIDS is part of the broader category of sudden unexpected infant death, or SUID, which also includes accidental suffocation and other sleep-related infant deaths. For RN practice, the priority is prevention through safe sleep teaching, caregiver education, risk identification, and compassionate support after an infant death. Current safe-sleep guidance emphasizes: back to sleep, firm flat surface, no bed sharing, no soft bedding, avoid overheating, avoid smoke/nicotine exposure, support breastfeeding, routine immunization, and consider pacifier use at sleep time.