J Bergounioux1,2, C Madre3, A Crucis-Armengaud4, E Briand-Huchet5, A P Michard-Lenoir6, H Patural7, S Dauger8, S Renolleau9, A M Teychéne10, S Henry11, D Biarent12, C Robin13, E Werner14, C Rambaud15. 1. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Raymond Poincaré University Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France. jean.bergounioux@rpc.aphp.fr. 2. Inserm U1151, Pathogénie des Infections Systémiques, Paris, France. jean.bergounioux@rpc.aphp.fr. 3. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Robert Debré University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. christelle.madre@rdb.aphp.fr. 4. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Robert Debré University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. anne.armangaud@nck.aphp.fr. 5. Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy Referral Center, Antoine Béclère University Hospital, AP-HP, Clamart, France. elisabeth.briand@abc.aphp.fr. 6. Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy Referral Center, Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble, France. APMichardlenoir@chu-grenoble.fr. 7. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint Etienne University Hospital, Saint Etienne, France. hugues.patural@chu-st-etienne.fr. 8. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Robert Debré University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. stephane.dauger@rdb.aphp.fr. 9. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Armand Trousseau University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France. sylvain.renolleau@nck.aphp.fr. 10. Pediatrics Department, Jean Verdier University Hospital, AP-HP, Bondy, France. anne-marie.teychene@jvr.aphp.fr. 11. Pediatrics Department, Cornouaille Hospital, Quimper, France. s.henry@ch-cornouaille.fr. 12. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Reine Fabiola University Children's Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. dominique.biarent@huderf.be. 13. Pediatrics Department, Poitiers University Hospital, Poitiers, France. c.robin@chu-poitiers.fr. 14. Pediatrics Department, Orleans Hospital, Orleans, France. evelyne.werner@chr-orleans.fr. 15. Forensics and Pathology Department, Raymond Poincaré University Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France. caroline.rambaud@rpc.aphp.fr.
Abstract
Soft infant carriers such as slings have become extremely popular in the west and are usually considered safe. We report 19 cases of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) linked to infant carrier. Most patients were healthy full-term babies less than 3 months of age, and suffocation was the most frequent cause of death. CONCLUSION: Infant carriers represent an underestimated cause of death by suffocation in neonates. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy linked to infant carrier have been only sparsely reported. WHAT IS NEW: • We report a series of 19 cases strongly suggesting age of less than 3 months as a risk factor and suffocation as the mechanism of death.
Soft infant carriers such as slings have become extremely popular in the west and are usually considered safe. We report 19 cases of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) linked to infant carrier. Most patients were healthy full-term babies less than 3 months of age, and suffocation was the most frequent cause of death. CONCLUSION: Infant carriers represent an underestimated cause of death by suffocation in neonates. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy linked to infant carrier have been only sparsely reported. WHAT IS NEW: • We report a series of 19 cases strongly suggesting age of less than 3 months as a risk factor and suffocation as the mechanism of death.
Entities:
Keywords:
Asphyxia; Baby carriers; Baby slings; Sudden infant death syndrome; Sudden unexpected death in infancy