Redefinition of the sudden infant death syndrome: the disadvantages.

For many years the definition of SIDS has been the sudden death of an infant that was unexpected by history and in which a thorough postmortem examination failed to demonstrate an adequate cause of death. In 1991 a report was published in this journal from a panel convened by the NICHD which recommended that the diagnosis of SIDS not be made unless a death scene investigation has been conducted. The panel recommended further exclusions from the diagnosis of SIDS of certain "unresolved" cases. We believe the changes recommended by the NICHD panel are impractical and may have a serious negative impact on SIDS research and on the surviving family members of the SIDS victims.