Sudden infant death cases linked to brain defects

(The Boston Globe, November 11, 2013)

Most of the seemingly healthy babies who die suddenly in their sleep may have undetected brain abnormalities, according to research from Boston Children’s Hospital that is being published Monday. The scientists observed defects in the breathing-control region in the brains of babies whose deaths were attributed to sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. The abnormalities were present whether infants had been put to bed in a safe sleeping position — on their backs — or in unsafe sleeping positions on their bellies, face-down, or surrounded by pillows and heavy blankets. While the new finding needs replication from larger studies, it could eventually pave the way for the development of tests to determine which newborns are most at risk for SIDS.