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Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Canada.

The stress peptide, PACAP, and its specific receptor, PAC1, have been implicated in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). PACAP is also critical to the neonatal cardiorespiratory response to homeostatic stressors identified in SIDS, including hypoxia. However, which of PACAP's three receptors, PAC1, VPAC1 and/or VPAC2, are involved is unknown. Read More

Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2019 Feb 1;5(1). Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Epilepsy Genetics Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.

Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE) is a severe disorder associated with epilepsy, developmental delay and intellectual disability, and in some cases premature mortality. We report the case of a female infant with EIEE and strikingly suppressed respiratory dysfunction that led to death. Postmortem research evaluation revealed hypoplasia of the arcuate nucleus of the medulla, a candidate region for respiratory regulation. Read More

J Pediatr Nurs 2019 Jan - Feb;44:119-122. Epub 2018 Dec 15.

USA. Electronic address:

Despite the release of guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on safe infant sleep and public service campaigns aimed at reducing risk factors over the past 25 years, deaths due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID) are still the 4th leading causes of infant death in the United States. Findings from several studies demonstrate that nurses do not consistently model safe sleep practices with infants due to a lack of education on evidence-based practice and misconceptions regarding safe infant sleep. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the need for expanded education to both nurses and parents on the principles of safe infant sleep and the impact it can have on decreasing risk factors for SIDS and SUID. Read More

J Forensic Leg Med 2019 Jan 10;62:52-55. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, 812 Covel Ave, Sioux Falls, SD, 57104, USA.

Objective: Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID) is defined as a combination of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Unknown Cause of Death (UCD) and Accidental Suffocation and Strangulation in Bed (ASSB). Overall rates from 2000 to 2015 have been trending down. Racial differences in occurrence are seen. Read More

Emerg (Tehran) 2018 8;6(1):e49. Epub 2018 Aug 8.

Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

Torsades de pointes (TdP) is a rare but hazardous ventricular dysrhythmia caused by an increase in the QT interval of the heart rhythm and is categorized into congenital or acquired types. Signs and symptoms of TdP include syncope, seizure, ventricular fibrillation, and even sudden death. According to statistics, among these symptoms, syncope and the seizure can be considered as signs that make the TdP diagnosis difficult. Read More

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Pediatrics, NYU School of Medicine, 450 E 29th Street, ACLS 824, New York, NY, 10016, USA.

Determining the cause of unexplained death in all age groups, including infants, is a priority in forensic medicine. The triple risk model proposed for sudden infant death syndrome involves the intersection of three risks: (1) a critical developmental period in homeostatic control (2), exogenous stressors, and (3) a vulnerable infant. Even though sex and age factor into some forms of inherited arrhythmogenic deaths in young individuals and adults, more appropriate a dual-risk disease model for adults involves exogenous stressors and a vulnerable individual. Read More

Nicotine Tob Res 2018 Dec 6. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Division of General Academic Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA.

Introduction: National and international organizations have done an excellent job of advocating and promoting breast feeding for all mothers. This study assessed to what extent an intervention increased delivery of cessation assistance to breast-feeding mothers who smoke.

Methods: Data were collected between April and October 2015 in five US states as part of a cluster randomized controlled trial in 10 pediatric practices. Read More

Vaccine 2019 Jan 28;37(2):280-288. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Discipline of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address:

Objective: To determine whether differences in combination DTaP vaccine types at 2, 4 and 6 months of age were associated with mortality (all-cause or non-specific), within 30 days of vaccination.

Design: Observational nationwide cohort study.

Setting: Linked population data from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register and National Death Index. Read More

Psychol Med 2018 Nov 9:1-9. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, Weill Cornell Medicine,New York, NY,USA.

Background: Identifying characteristics of individuals at greatest risk for prolonged grief disorder (PGD) can improve its detection and elucidate the etiology of the disorder. The Safe Passage Study, a study of women at high risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), prospectively examined the psychosocial functioning of women while monitoring their healthy pregnancies. Mothers whose infants died of SIDS were followed in bereavement. Read More

Forensic Sci Int 2018 Dec 24;293:37-46. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Department of Pediatrics, Physiology & Neuroscience and Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Physiology & Neuroscience and Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. Electronic address:

Background: The TRPM4 gene encodes the subunit of the Ca-activated nonselective cation channel, which is enriched in the specialized cardiac conduction system and Purkinje fibers. To date, several putative disease-causing variants in TRPM4 have been reported to be associated with cardiac arrhythmia and progressive conduction disease. Here, we report the functional effects of previously uncharacterized variants of uncertain significance (VUS) that we have found while performing a "genetic autopsy" in individuals who have suffered sudden unexpected death (SUD) in the New York City area. Read More

Arch Dis Child 2018 Oct 8. Epub 2018 Oct 8.

Community Paediatrics, Virgin Care, Bath, UK.

Clinical scenario: A mother brought her infant to the hospital with bronchiolitis and incidentally asked if I would recommend the use of infant sleeping bags to protect against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as several of her friends use them. Structured question: Can infant sleeping bags be recommended by medical professionals as protective against Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?

Methods: A literature search was performed. Trials were included if they had an English version available and the papers examined the impact that sleeping bag use had on risk of SIDS or its risk factors. Read More

J Pediatr 2018 12 26;203:423-428.e11. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine (Division of Heart Rhythm Services), Pediatrics (Division of Pediatric Cardiology), Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Electronic address:

Objective: To determine whether a monogenic basis explains sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) using an exome-wide focus.

Study Design: A cohort of 427 unrelated cases of SIDS (257 male; average age = 2.7 ± 1. Read More

S Afr J Obstet Gynaecol (1999) 2017 Dec;23(3):93-96

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.

Background: Here we present additional information from the Safe Passage Study, where the effect of alcohol exposure during pregnancy on sudden infant death syndrome and stillbirth was investigated.

Objective: To explore bereaved mothers' attitudes toward obtaining an autopsy on their stillborn baby, and the future implications of consenting or non-consenting to autopsy in retrospect.

Methods: Demographic data was obtained by a questionnaire. Read More

J Am Acad Audiol 2018 Sep;29(8):748-763

C&Y Consultants, LLC, Santa Fe, NM.

Background: The Prenatal Alcohol and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Stillbirth Network, known as the "Safe Passage Study," enrolled approximately 12,000 pregnant women from the United States and South Africa and followed the development of their babies through pregnancy and the infant's first year of life to investigate the role of prenatal alcohol exposure in the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as stillbirth and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Purpose: Auditory system tests were included in the physiologic test battery used to study the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on neurophysiology and neurodevelopment, as well as potential causal relationships between neurodevelopmental disorders and SIDS and/or stillbirth. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe normative results when using the auditory test battery applied. Read More

Genet Med 2018 Aug 24. Epub 2018 Aug 24.

Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's University of London, London, United Kingdom.

Purpose: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the commonest cause of sudden death of an infant; however, the genetic basis remains poorly understood. We aimed to identify noncardiac genes underpinning SIDS and determine their prevalence compared with ethnically matched controls.

Methods: Using exome sequencing we assessed the yield of ultrarare nonsynonymous variants (minor allele frequency [MAF] ≤0. Read More

Eur J Pediatr 2018 Oct 20;177(10):1547-1554. Epub 2018 Jul 20.

Department of Medical Sciences, Pediatric Section, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, University of Ferrara, Via Aldo Moro, 8-44124 Cona, Ferrara, Italy.

Positional plagiocephaly (PP) denotes flattening of the skull that occurs frequently in healthy infants. Aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of positional plagiocephaly and to identify the risk factors in a cohort of healthy infants in order to help prevention of PP. In a prospective design, all healthy full-term infants, ranging from 8 to 12 weeks of age, who presented at the public immunization clinic in Ferrara, were eligible for the study. Read More

Circ J 2018 Jul 27;82(8):2152-2159. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Kagawa Nutrition University.

Background: Sudden infant death syndrome mainly occurs during night-time sleep. Approximately 10% of cases are thought to involve infants with long QT syndrome (LQTS). Autonomic function and QT interval in night-time sleep in early infancy in LQTS infants, however, remain controversial. Read More

J Arrhythm 2018 Jun 14;34(3):315-318. Epub 2018 May 14.

Department of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine Shiga University of Medical Science Otsu Shiga Japan.

A 10-month-old infant experienced cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation (VF). His electrocardiogram (ECG) at rest was within the normal range. Amiodarone was indispensable due to its refractoriness to defibrillation. Read More

Nurs Educ Perspect 2018 Jul/Aug;39(4):E7-E13

About the Authors Jane Cirelli, MS, NNP-BC, is a neonatal nurse practitioner, WellSpan York Hospital, York, Pennsylvania. Beverly Clymer, AS, NNP-BC, is a neonatal nurse practitioner, WellSpan York Hospital. Adriane Burgess, PhD, RNC-OB, CCE, is a clinical research specialist, WellSpan York Hospital. Jennifer Aguilar, MSN, RN, is a clinical nurse educator, Penn State Health Medical Group, Hershey, Pennsylvania. Theodore Bell, MS, is a research program manager, WellSpan York Hospital. Michael Goodstein, MD, is a neonatologist, WellSpan York Hospital. The authors thank Catherine Kelly, Barbara Buchko, and Marie Cirelli for their thorough review of the manuscript. For more information, contact Jane Cirelli at

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate nursing educators' attitudes and knowledge regarding current American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment.

Method: This was a cross-sectional prospective survey of all nursing programs with associate degrees or higher in the United States. Instructors teaching pediatric and obstetric didactic or clinical material at an Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing-approved nursing school could participate. Read More

J Hum Genet 2018 Sep 15;63(9):989-996. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Department of Molecular Pathogenesis, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) present a high risk for sudden cardiac death in pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to identify disease-associated genetic variants in Japanese patients with pediatric HCM and RCM. We analyzed 67 cardiomyopathy-associated genes in 46 HCM and 7 RCM patients diagnosed before 16 years of age using a next-generation sequencing system. Read More

Epilepsia 2018 07 6;59(7):1372-1380. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research Centre, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.

Objective: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a tragic and devastating event for which the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood; this study investigated whether abnormalities in heart rate variability (HRV) are linked to SUDEP in patients with epilepsy due to mutations in sodium channel (SCN) genes.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated HRV in epilepsy patients using electroencephalographic studies to study the potential contribution of autonomic dysregulation to SUDEP risk. We extracted HRV data, in wakefulness and sleep, from 80 patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, including 40 patients with mutations in SCN genes and 40 control patients with non-SCN drug-resistant epilepsy. Read More

Acta Paediatr 2018 Nov 17;107(11):1924-1931. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Aim: To examine the sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) disparity between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand.

Methods: A nationwide prospective case-control study ran from March 2012 to February 2015. Exposure to established SUDI risk factors was analysed to investigate the disparity experienced by Māori. Read More

Pediatr Int 2018 Aug 10;60(8):710-713. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Background: Preterm infants are at higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) compared with term born infants and the risk is inversely proportional to the gestational age and birthweight. Parents of these infants should have adequate knowledge and practise the recommended SIDS risk reduction measures.

Methods: A survey was conducted between December 2016 and August 2017 at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 May;97(20):e10813

Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Pusan National University Children's Hospital, Yangsan.

Rationale: Infantile-onset hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCMP) should be considered a largely genetic condition, although its onset is most often triggered by infection. Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive inborn error of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation that often causes severe cardiomyopathy and/or sudden death during the neonatal period.

Patient Concerns: Herein, we report an infant with VLCAD deficiency who presented with severe cardiac manifestations, including massive pericardial effusion and HCMP. Read More

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2018 May;11(5):e005859

Department of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Center, Center for Muscle Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington (J.L.S., A.R.H., D.E.B., B.P.D.).

Background: Heterologous functional validation studies of putative long-QT syndrome subtype 2-associated variants clarify their pathological potential and identify disease mechanism(s) for most variants studied. The purpose of this study is to clarify the pathological potential for rare nonsynonymous variants seemingly associated with sudden infant death syndrome.

Methods: Genetic testing of 292 sudden infant death syndrome cases identified 9 variants: E90K, R181Q, A190T, G294V, R791W, P967L, R1005W, R1047L, and Q1068R. Read More

Pediatr Cardiol 2018 Aug 10;39(6):1216-1228. Epub 2018 May 10.

Department of Pediatrics, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 1124 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA, 90502, USA.

The purpose of the study is to examine (1) nationally representative incidence rates of Emergency Department (ED) visits due to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in pediatric and young adult populations, (2) basic characteristics of the ED visits with SCA, and (3) patient and hospital factors associated with survival after SCA. We used the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample from 2006 to 2013. ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes identified ED visits due to SCA for patients ≤ 30 years old. Read More

J Clin Pathol 2018 Oct 2;71(10):885-889. Epub 2018 May 2.

Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Aim: It is estimated that 1-5% of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases might be caused by undiagnosed inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs); however, the postmortem identification of IEMs remains difficult. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of dried blood spots (DBSs) stored after newborn screening tests as a metabolic autopsy to determine the causes of death in infants and children who died suddenly and unexpectedly.

Methods: Infants or toddlers who had suddenly died without a definite diagnosis between July 2008 and December 2012 at Kyushu University Hospital in Japan were enrolled in this study. Read More

Pediatrics 2018 May;141(5)

Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, New York.

: media-1vid110.1542/5741323271001PEDS-VA_2017-3651 BACKGROUND: The loss of a child is associated with elevated grief severity, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of postneonatal mortality in the United States. The diagnosis of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) has gained broader acceptance and use. Read More

BMJ Open 2018 04 17;8(4):e020883. Epub 2018 Apr 17.

Inserm CIC 1413, Nantes University Hospital, Nantes, France.

Introduction: Even after 'back-to-sleep' campaigns, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) continues to be the leading cause of death for infants 1 month to 1 year old in developed countries, with devastating social, psychological and legal implications for families. To sustainably tackle this problem and decrease the number of SUIDs, a French SUID registry was initiated in 2015 to (1) inform prevention with standardised data, (2) understand the mechanisms leading to SUID and the contribution of the already known or newly suggested risk factors and (3) gather a multidisciplinary group of experts to coordinate and develop innovative and urgent research in the SUID area.

Methods And Analysis: This observational multisite prospective observatory includes all cases of sudden unexpected deaths in children younger than 2 years occurring in the French territory covered by the 35 participating French referral centres. Read More

J Community Health 2018 Oct;43(5):977-985

Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) rates in African-Americans are more than twice national rates, and historically, African-American parents are more likely than other groups to place infants prone, even when they are aware of supine sleep recommendations. Prior studies have shown African-Americans have low self-efficacy against SIDS but high self-efficacy against suffocation. This study aimed to determine the impact of a specific health message about suffocation prevention on African-American parental decisions regarding infant sleep position. Read More

Inj Epidemiol 2018 Apr 10;5(Suppl 1):14. Epub 2018 Apr 10.

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program, Illinois' Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (OECD), Chicago, IL, USA.

Background: Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) accounted for approximately 3700 infant deaths in the US in 2015. SUID risk factors include prone sleeping, bed-sharing, soft bedding use, and maternal smoking. Infant safe sleep data in at-risk communities are difficult to obtain and home visiting programs can add to what we know. Read More

Inj Epidemiol 2018 Apr 10;5(Suppl 1). Epub 2018 Apr 10.

Center for Applied Research and Evaluation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72202, USA.

Background: Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) results in 3400 sleep-related deaths yearly in the United States, yet caregivers' compliance with safe sleep recommendations remains less than optimal. Paternal caregiver's attitudes toward infant safe sleep messages are largely unaddressed, despite established differences between female and male caregiver perceptions. This study aimed to explore the determinants of safe sleep practices among male caregivers. Read More

Brain Dev 2018 Sep 7;40(8):714-718. Epub 2018 Apr 7.

Department of Pediatrics, Shizuoka Saiseikai General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan.

Rett syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene, which encodes methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2). It almost exclusively affects the female sex and is considered lethal in the male sex. However, an increasing number of male patients with MECP2 mutations have been reported, including patients who suddenly died of unknown causes. Read More

J Pediatr 2018 06 2;197:57-62.e36. Epub 2018 Apr 2.

Department of Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO.

Objective: To compare risk factors for infant sleep-related deaths under the supervision of parents and nonparents.

Study Design: We conducted a secondary analysis of sleep-related infant deaths from 2004 to 2014 in the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention Child Death Review Case Reporting System. The main exposure was supervisor at time of death. Read More

J Child Health Care 2018 Jan 1:1367493518763983. Epub 2018 Jan 1.

3 Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS; also known as crib death) describes the sudden unexpected death of an infant under one year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation. SIDS is a public health concern. It is the fourth leading cause of infant death in Canada. Read More

Epilepsia 2018 04 30;59(4):e56-e62. Epub 2018 Mar 30.

Robert's Program on Sudden Death in Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

We identified SCN1A variants in 2 infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) with hippocampal abnormalities from an exome sequencing study of 10 cases of SIDS but no history of seizures. One harbored SCN1A G682V, and the other had 2 SCN1A variants in cis: L1296M and E1308D, a variant previously associated with epilepsy. Functional evaluation in a heterologous expression system demonstrated partial loss of function for both G682V and the compound variant L1296M/E1308D. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2018 Mar;71(11):1217-1227

Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine (Division of Heart Rhythm Services), Pediatrics (Division of Pediatric Cardiology), and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics (Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Electronic address:

Background: Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a leading cause of postneonatal mortality. Genetic heart diseases (GHDs) underlie some cases of SIDS.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the spectrum and prevalence of GHD-associated mutations as a potential monogenic basis for SIDS. Read More

Pediatr Ann 2018 Mar;47(3):e118-e123

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant younger than age 12 months whose cause of death remains unknown despite a thorough death scene investigation, a review of the clinical history, and an autopsy. Despite the huge achievement of the Back to Sleep program, SIDS remains one of the leading causes of infant death in the United States. In recent years, the SIDS rate has remained stationary despite major public health efforts aimed at high-risk groups to improve sleep environment and strategies. Read More

J Midwifery Womens Health 2018 Mar 13;63(2):196-204. Epub 2018 Mar 13.

Introduction: Little is known about the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of certified nurse-midwives related to sudden infant death syndrome and infant safe sleep. However, this population is an important and trusted source of information for pregnant women and may provide guidance on infant care. We explored these topics with certified nurse-midwives to identify potential barriers as well as enabling and reinforcing factors associated with providing infant safe sleep education in the prenatal health care environment. Read More

Physiol Rep 2018 03;6(5)

Departments of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

We have identified a critical period of respiratory development in rats at postnatal days P12-13, when inhibitory influence dominates and when the response to hypoxia is at its weakest. This critical period has significant implications for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the cause of which remains elusive. One of the known risk factors for SIDS is prematurity. Read More

Epilepsia 2018 04 23;59(4):e40-e44. Epub 2018 Feb 23.

Robert's Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

The histopathology, "white matter spongiosis," defined by electron microscopy (EM) as "intramyelinic edema," has been associated with vigabatrin therapy in various animal models, but its role or significance in clinical studies is unknown. We conducted a neuropathological examination on a 27-month-old boy with bilateral polymicrogyria and epilepsy after sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The patient was initiated on vigabatrin at 4 months of age, which controlled infantile spasms, and was continued as maintenance therapy. Read More

Kans J Med 2017 Aug 30;10(3):1-8. Epub 2017 Aug 30.

Van Buren Intermediate School District, Lawrence, MI.

Background: Risk of infant sleep-related death can be reduced through safe sleep practices. Barriers to infant safe sleep have been mitigated through education and crib distribution, however, previous studies have not explored whether distributed cribs are put to use.

Methods: In a rural Michigan county, the Great Start Sleep Initiative supplied cribs and education shortly after infant birth to families with high-risk of infant mortality, as assessed through comprehensive interviews with families by program staff. Read More

Indian J Pediatr 2018 04 19;85(4):295-299. Epub 2018 Feb 19.

Department of Pediatrics, Kerala Government Health Services, Kozhikode, Kerala, India.

Tobacco smoke, active or passive exposure was the major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the world during twentieth century and will continue to be the same in the twenty-first century also if the current trends continue. Both active and passive smoking are having significance in relation to child health. Exposure starts antenatally from placenta to the fetus and later phases through passive exposure to experimental and regular smoking and ultimately addiction and habitual smoking. Read More