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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Author(s) -
Meier Carolyn A.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1973.tb00124.x
Subject(s) - coroner , suspect , grief , etiology , psychology , sudden infant death syndrome , cause of death , infant mortality , sudden death , medicine , developmental psychology , psychiatry , pediatrics , medical emergency , suicide prevention , criminology , poison control , disease , pathology , cardiology , population , environmental health
This paper examines some of the known facts about the “Sudden Infant Death” syndrome, such as its occurrence in the past, some of the theories and hypotheses proposed and rejected or unproven concerning its etiology, and a description of typical findings upon investigation of such a death. The psychological damage to the parents is presented as a problem to be considered in the approach and attitude of the coroner, police, examining physician, and general public including neighbors and relatives. Two parent self‐help groups have been formed recently in the hope of eliminating the guilt that is often an accompaniment to grief. Their goals are educating the public so that an unexplained death is not automatically suspect, and research to find the cause. It is proposed that this death without apparent cause is psychologically traumatic in our modern society of rational explanations.