How common is SIDS?
The SIDS rate has dropped dramatically. However, there are still approximately 2,500 infants that die of SIDS every year in the United States, and SIDS is the third leading cause of infant mortality. In 2006, SIDS was responsible for 83 infant deaths in Illinois, compared with 177 infant deaths in 1996. SIDS occurs more often in males and in African-American and American Indian or Alaskan Native infants. More SIDS deaths occur in the colder months. What Causes SIDS? The cause(s) of SIDS is still unknown. However, it is generally accepted that SIDS is a combination of factors or events. A leading theory is that an infant who appears to be healthy has an underlying defect located in the brain stem. This area in the brain controls heart and lung functions, including heart rate and breathing. SIDS studies indicate some babies have a delay in the development of or an abnormality in the part of the brain which is involved in breathing and waking. Babies born with this abnormality may be more
