Ambient Heat and Sudden Infant Death
In this study, we found a strong association between high ambient temperature and SIDS at ≥ 3 months of age. Although more research is necessary to document associations in other settings, our study provides preliminary evidence to warrant limiting exposure of infants to high ambient temperatures. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding overheating to prevent SIDS (Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Moon 2011), and our analysis provides support for including high ambient temperatures in this recommendation. Climate change will most likely result in more intense and frequent heat waves in the future, and the impact on risk of SIDS may not be benign. Potential effects of heat waves on SIDS need to be better understood, and thermoregulatory mechanisms involved in SIDS should be investigated more closely. Adaptation strategies for future climate warming, including medical alerts during heat waves, should include infants, a group that may be independently at risk of SIDS during periods of high ambient temperatures.
Conclusions
In this study, we found a strong association between high ambient temperature and SIDS at ≥ 3 months of age. Although more research is necessary to document associations in other settings, our study provides preliminary evidence to warrant limiting exposure of infants to high ambient temperatures. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding overheating to prevent SIDS (Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Moon 2011), and our analysis provides support for including high ambient temperatures in this recommendation. Climate change will most likely result in more intense and frequent heat waves in the future, and the impact on risk of SIDS may not be benign. Potential effects of heat waves on SIDS need to be better understood, and thermoregulatory mechanisms involved in SIDS should be investigated more closely. Adaptation strategies for future climate warming, including medical alerts during heat waves, should include infants, a group that may be independently at risk of SIDS during periods of high ambient temperatures.
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