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Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology

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01-06-2015 | Commentary

Co-sleeping and suffocation

Author: Edwin A. Mitchell

Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology | Issue 2/2015

Excerpt

In his Forensic Forum Byard argues that many cases certified as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are in fact deaths from suffocation, particularly when the baby is sharing the same sleeping surface as another person, and that this needs to be recognized so that the risk can be avoided [1]. This is an important but controversial issue, with some claiming that bed sharing is only a risk when certain factors are also present [2], while others have shown that bed sharing increases the risk of death even when these other factors are not present [3]. …

Byard RW. Overlaying, co-sleeping, suffocation, and sudden infant death syndrome: the elephant in the room. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. 2014;. doi:10.1007/s12024-014-9600-5.

Blair PS, Fleming PJ, Smith IJ, Platt MW, Young J, Nadin P, et al. Babies sleeping with parents: case–control study of factors influencing the risk of the sudden infant death syndrome. BMJ. 1999;319:1457–62.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed

Carpenter R, McGarvey C, Mitchell EA, Tappin DM, Vennemann MM, Smuk M, et al. Bed sharing when parents do not smoke: is there a risk of SIDS? An individual level analysis of five major case–control studies. BMJ Open. 2013;3:e002299.PubMedCentralPubMed

Beckwith JB. Discussion of terminology and definition of the sudden infant death syndrome. In: Bergman AB, Beckwith JB, Ray CG, editors. Sudden infant death syndrome: proceedings of the second international conference on the causes of sudden death in infants. Seattle: University of Washington Press; 1970. p. 14–22.

Bergeson PS, Shaw JC. Are infants really obligatory nasal breathers? Clin Pediatrics. 2001;40:567–9.CrossRef

McIntosh CG, Tonkin SL, Gunn AJ. What is the mechanism of sudden infant deaths associated with co-sleeping? NZ Med J. 2009;122:69–75.

Office for National Statistics. Statistical Bulletin: Unexplained deaths in infancy: England and Wales, 2012. 2014. http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_374881.pdf.

American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths: Expansion of recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment. Pediatrics. 2011;128:e1341–67.

New Zealand Mortality Data Group. NZ child and youth mortality review committee: 9th data report 2008 – 2012. 2013. http://www.hqsc.govt.nz/assets/CYMRC/Publications/CYMRC-ninth-data-report-2008-2012.pdf.

10.

Blair PS, Sidebotham P, Evason-Coombe C, Edmonds M, Heckstall-Smith EM, Fleming P. Hazardous cosleeping environments and risk factors amenable to change: case-control study of SIDS in south west England. BMJ. 2009;339:b3466.CrossRef

11.

Mitchell EA. The proposed New Zealand SUDI case-control study. Scand J Forensic Sci. 2011;17:34–9.

12.

Hutchison BL, Rea C, Stewart AW, Koelmeyer TD, Tipene-Leach DC, Mitchell EA. Sudden unexpected infant death in Auckland: a retrospective case review. Acta Paediatr. 2011;100:1108–12.CrossRefPubMed

13.

Abel S, Tipene-Leach D. SUDI prevention: a review of Maori safe sleep innovations for infants. NZ Med J. 2013;126:86–94.

14.

Change for Our Children. Pēpi-pod sleep space programme. http://www.changeforourchildren.co.nz/tender_shoot/pepi_pod_programme. Accessed 29 August 2014.

Title: Co-sleeping and suffocation
Author: Edwin A. Mitchell
Publication date: 01-06-2015
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology / Issue 2/2015
Print ISSN: 1547-769X
Electronic ISSN: 1556-2891
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-014-9616-x

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