About sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI)

When babies under one year die unexpectedly in their sleep, it’s often described as sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI).

When these deaths are investigated, they’re often found to be one of the following:

• Fatal sleeping accidents: these deaths happen when babies suffocate or get trapped or strangled by things in their sleeping environments.
• Sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS: this is when investigations can’t find a cause of death.

Sometimes SUDI can be explained by a serious illness or a medical condition that the baby was born with.

SUDI is rare and accounts for 2-5 deaths in every 10 000 births world widw in Australia.

SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents: 

We don’t know exactly what causes sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI), but we know that all babies are at risk of SUDI and we also know that there are some factors that increase SUDI risk. 

Some babies have an increased risk of SUDI. This includes babies who were:

• exposed to tobacco smoke or drugs before they were born
• born prematurely or who were small when they were born.

Age
The risk of SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents is greatest at 1-4 months, although the risk is there for the first 12 months.

Environment
Babies’ sleep environments can increase their risk of SUDI including overheating and being exposed to tobacco smoke.

Babies who are already vulnerable and at a risky age are more likely to die of SUDI when they’re exposed to these risks.

You can’t usually control underlying vulnerabilities. And you can’t change your baby’s age, so you can’t control this type of risk. But you can reduce the overall risk of SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents by following safe sleeping guidelines.

SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents: risks you can avoid

Babies’ sleep environments include where and how babies sleep and what’s around babies when they sleep and at other times. Babies’ sleep environments have many risks for SUDI that can be avoided.

These are risks you can avoid.

Here are risks associated with how babies sleep. You should avoid:

• babies should not sleep on their tummies or sides. They should sleep on their back!! (babies can be placed on their stomachs when they are awake and someone is watching the child. This “tummy time” is good for the baby because it can help develop neck and shoulder muscles.)
• babies should not sleep with faces or heads covered.
• babies should not get to sleep get overheated – for example, by wearing too many clothes or hats or beanies to sleep.

Here are risks associated with where babies sleep. You should avoid:

• babies should not sleep  on soft surfaces (like soft mattresses or waterbeds) or on sofas, with or without a parent
• babies should not co-sleeping with the mother or other family member!
• babies should not sleep where they could get trapped between mattress and cot, or between bed and wall.

Here are risks associated with what’s around babies. You should avoid:

• babies should not be exposed to tobacco smoke
• babies should not sleep with loose or fluffy bedding (like sheepskin or lamb’s wool), or with pillows, soft toys or cot bumpers
• babies should not sleep near things that could strangle them, like straps or cords from prams, car seats or blinds.

Room share: Keep baby’s sleep area in the same room next to where you sleep until she is 1 year of age

Impact of SUDI including SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents

The sudden or unexpected death of a baby is one of the most difficult and devastating experiences that parents will ever face. They often feel anger, guilt, frustration and, above all, grief. There are support services available to parents and families at this difficult time.