Comparison of infants dying from the sudden infant death syndrome with matched live controls.

Development, medical history and social background of 79 sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and 79 age matched controls were compared. SIDS was associated with a high proportion of S.G.A. infants, more hospital admissions and increased reporting of symptoms, particularly irritability, by parents. Social factors did not play a significant role with no evidence of marked social deprivation or lack of caring in either group. When this background data from both groups was compared there was no evidence of reliable predictors of sudden infant death.