Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Fact Sheet

SIDS is the unexpected death of an apparently healthy #infant under 1 year of age that remains unexplained after a complete autopsy, investigation of the scene of death, and review of the infant's medical history. The exact cause of #SIDS is still unknown, but there are risk factors that increase the likelihood of it occurring, such as exposing infants to secondhand smoke, overheating, and placing infants to sleep on their stomachs. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be placed on their backs to sleep, on a firm sleep surface, with no soft bedding or toys, to reduce the risk of SIDS.