Uncertainty in classification of repeat sudden unexpected infant deaths in Care of the Next Infant programme

doi:10.1136/bmj.39203.430984.AD

BMJ 2007;335:129-131 (21 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.39203.430984.AD

Analysis

Uncertainty in classification of repeat sudden unexpected infant deaths in Care of the Next Infant programme

C J Bacon, retired paediatrician, West Yorkshire Braithwaite, E N Hey, retired paediatrician

Northallerton, North Yorkshire

Correspondence to: C J Bacon Chrisjbacon@googlemail.com

It is misleading to classify every unexplained infant deathas natural if no unnatural cause has been established, argueC J Bacon and E N Hey

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Sudden unexpected infant death (cot death) has become much lesscommon in recent years, and it is rare for a family to experiencetwo such deaths. Carpenter and colleagues recently publishedvaluable data on the repeat deaths that occurred among 5229families in the Care of the Next Infant programme.¹ This voluntaryscheme funded by the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deathsprovides extra support to families in England and Wales whohave had a cot death and now have a new baby. There were 48sudden unexpected deaths among babies on the programme between1988 and 1999, including two third deaths. After examining allthe circumstances and postmortem findings of the 46 second deaths,the authors concluded that all but six of the babies died fromnatural causes. This contrasts with earlier studies by Emery²and Wolkind and colleagues,³ which concluded that a much higherproportion of repeat . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

Bacon, C J, Hall, D B M, Stephenson, T J, Campbell, M J (2008). How common is repeat sudden infant death syndrome?. Arch. Dis. Child. 93: 323-326 [Abstract] [Full text]
Stephenson, T. (2007). Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility: UK government statement on the duties of doctors. Arch. Dis. Child. 92: 833-834 [Full text]

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