ABSTRACT
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the most common cause of post-neonatal infant mortality in the developed world (Willinger et al. 1991; Blackwell and Weir 1999; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2008). It is a diagnosis of exclusion, often defined as the sudden death of an infant not explained by a thorough autopsy, review of the clinical history, and examination of the death scene (Willinger et al. 1991; Rognum 2001; Byard and Lee 2012). SIDS occurs from 1 month to 1 year of age, with peak incidence between 2 and 4 months. Although infants dying of SIDS appear normal and healthy, there is often a history of a mild viral illness that is not thought to be the cause of death (Willinger et al. 1991; Blackwell and Weir 1999; Alvarez-Lafuente et al. 2008; Dettmeyer et al. 2009).
