Alcohol as a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

  1. David P. Phillips1,*,
  2. Kimberly M. Brewer1,
  3. Paul Wadensweiler2

Article first published online: 9 NOV 2010

DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03199.x

Issue

Addiction

Addiction

Volume 106, Issue 3, pages 516–525, March 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Phillips, D. P., Brewer, K. M. and Wadensweiler, P. (2011), Alcohol as a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Addiction, 106: 516–525. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03199.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Sociology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

  2. 2

    Department of Human Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

*Professor David P. Phillips, University of California at San Diego, Sociology Department 0533, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0533, USA. E-mail: dphillips@ucsd.edu

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 FEB 2011
  2. Article first published online: 9 NOV 2010
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 15 SEP 2010 05:03PM EST
  4. Submitted 26 April 2010; initial review completed 7 July 2010; final version accepted 8 September 2010

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Keywords:

  • Alcohol;
  • holidays;
  • New Year;
  • pediatric accidents;
  • SIDS;
  • weekends

ABSTRACT

Aim  To test whether alcohol is a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Design and setting  US epidemiological study using computerized death certificates, linked birth and infant death dataset, and Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

Participants  All SIDS cases (n = 129 090) and other infant deaths (n = 295 151) from 1973–2006; all persons involved in late-night alcohol-related crashes (n = 135 946) from 1994–2008.

Measurements  Three measures were used: the expected number of deaths on New Year versus the observed number (expected values were determined using a locally weighted scatterplot smoothing polynomial), the average number of weekend deaths versus the average number of weekday deaths, and the SIDS death rate for children of alcohol-consuming versus non-alcohol-consuming mothers.

Findings  These measures indicate that the largest spikes in alcohol consumption and in SIDS (33%) occur on New Year, alcohol consumption and SIDS increase significantly on weekends, and children of alcohol-consuming mothers are much more likely to die from SIDS than are children of non-alcohol-consuming mothers.

Conclusions  Alcohol consumption appears to be a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome, although it is unclear whether alcohol is an independent risk factor, a risk factor only in conjunction with other known risk factors (like co-sleeping), or a proxy for other risk factors associated with occasions when alcohol consumption increases (like smoking). Our findings suggest that caretakers and authorities should be informed that alcohol impairs parental capacity and might be a risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome; in addition, future research should further explore possible connections between sudden infant death syndrome and alcohol.

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