[Retrospective study of incidents of sudden death (SIDS) in 80 infants]

The parents of 80 victims of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) participated in this retrospective study. The semistructured interview included questions concerning events preceding infants' death and the situation at the discovery of the death. Fifty-eight of the 80 SIDS victims were male, twenty-two were female. Fourty-four of the babies underwent a postmortem examination. There was a high incidence of death during the winter months and concerning the hour of the day in the morning hours. Most families (91%) had no socioeconomic difficulties--in contrast to reports of other authors. In 34% of the SIDS cases the parents reported about stress or irregularities of the daily family life cycle (journey, mayor family events, quarrels) immediately before the death of the baby. About 20% of the victims were not in the usual surrounding at the time of death. In about 30% of the SIDS victims an infection was observed. Since between the 2nd and 4th month of life a major neuronal reorganization in the central nervous system is assumed (Prechtl, 1984), stress during this period may be particularly effective and dangerous for the baby. This would explain the high incidence of SIDS during this vulnerable phase (60%) in which the baby, apparently, is unable to react properly.