Editorial: Infection and Inflammation: Potential Triggers of Sudden Infant Deaths

Infection, Celestial Influences, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: A New Paradigm

The etiology of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) still remains unclear. This situation would seem unprecedented for 21st-century medical science. This article explores scientific fields that have not been largely considered in investigating the etiology of SIDS so far. In this study, we examined previously ignored studies on heliobiology, celestial influences, and SIDS in the non-medical literature in an attempt to answer the following questions: is there a relationship between sunspot/solar activity and the occurrence of SIDS? Could there be alternative reasons for the decline in SIDS incidences in the 1990s that were originally attributed to the “Back-to-Sleep” campaign? We note that the decline coincided with the ~11-year cyclical diminution in sunspot numbers (SSNs). The SSN/SIDS relationship does not necessarily imply causality; however, it supports published data regarding sunspots, Schumann resonance, and geomagnetic effects. How solar energy could adversely influence a baby’s existence remains conjectural. Observations in this respect suggest pathways involving melatonin and/or infection/inflammation.

The Evolving Understanding of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death

Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is the leading cause for post-neonatal mortality in industrialized nations. Case-control studies have identified risk factors for SUID that have shaped research into studies of causation. Most current hypotheses for the mechanisms for SUID contribute to the "SUID sequence"-hypoxia and/or hypercarbia in sleep to which a vulnerable infant fails to respond adequately and that results in death. Reducing vulnerability in infants and promoting safe sleep for infants is important for prevention and requires knowledge of the prevalence of risk factors within the target population and a culturally sensitive approach. [Pediatr Ann. 2017;46(8):e278-e283.].