Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sudden deaths in adult-worn baby carriers: 19 cases

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Soft infant carriers such as slings have become extremely popular in the west and are usually considered safe. We report 19 cases of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) linked to infant carrier. Most patients were healthy full-term babies less than 3 months of age, and suffocation was the most frequent cause of death.

Conclusion: Infant carriers represent an underestimated cause of death by suffocation in neonates.

What is Known:

• Sudden unexpected deaths in infancy linked to infant carrier have been only sparsely reported.

What is New:

• We report a series of 19 cases strongly suggesting age of less than 3 months as a risk factor and suffocation as the mechanism of death.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AAP:

American Academy of Pediatrics

GFRUP:

Groupe Francophone de Réanimation et d’Urgences Pédiatriques

ICU:

Intensive care unit

SIDS:

Sudden infant death syndrome

SUDI:

Sudden unexpected death in infants

References

  1. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2011) Baby slings safety alert. http://www.sidsandkids.org/news/baby-sling-alert-accc/

  2. Consumer Product Safety Commission (2014) 16 CFR Parts 1112 and 1228 [Docket No. CPSC–2014–0018] safety standard for sling carriers federal register / Vol. 79, No. 141 / proposed rules 42725

  3. Consumer Product Safety Commission (US). Infant deaths prompt CPSC warning about sling carriers for babies. http://www.cpsc.gov/en/newsroom/news-releases/2010/infant-deaths-prompt-cpsc-warning-about-sling-carriers-for-babies/

  4. Fleming PJ, Gilbert R, Azaz Y, Berry PJ, Rudd PT, Stewart A, Hall E (1990) Interaction between bedding and sleeping position in the sudden infant death syndrome: a population based case–control study. BMJ 301(6743):85–89

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. HAS (2007). Recommendations professionnelles. Prise en charge en cas de Mort Inattendue du Nourrisson (moins de 2 ans). http://www.has-sante.fr/portail/upload/docs/application/pdf/argumentaire_mort_inattendue_nourrisson.pdf

  6. Krous HF (1995) The international standardized autopsy protocol for sudden unexpected infant death. In: Rognum TO (ed) Sudden infant death syndrome. New trends in the nineties. Scandinavian University Press 81-95

  7. Madre C, Rambaud C, Avran D, Michot C, Sachs P, Dauger S (2013) Infant deaths in slings. Eur J Pediatr 173:1659–1661

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. McIntosh CG, Tonkin SL, Gunn AJ (2013) Randomized controlled trial of a car safety seat insert to reduce hypoxia in term infants. Pediatrics 132(2):326–331

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Moon RY, Horne RS, Hauck FR (2007) Sudden infant death syndrome. Lancet 370(9598):1578–1587, Review

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Moon RY, Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (2011) SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths: expansion of recommendations for a safe infant sleeping environment. Pediatrics 128(5):1030–1039. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-2284, Epub 2011 Oct 17. Review

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Phillipson EA, Sullivan CE (1978) Arousal: the forgotten response to respiratory stimuli. Am Rev Respir Dis 118(5):807–809

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Pit SW, Vo T, Pyakurel S (2014) The effectiveness of recruitment strategies on general practitioner's survey response rates—a systematic review. BMC Med Res Methodol 14:76. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-14-76

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ponsonby AL, Dwyer T, Gibbons LE, Cochrane JA, Jones ME, McCall MJ (1992) Thermal environment and sudden infant death syndrome: case–control study. BMJ 304(6822):277–282

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Tonkin SL, Gunn TR, Bennet L, Vogel SA, Gunn AJ (2002) A review of the anatomy of the upper airway in early infancy and its possible relevance to SIDS. Early Hum Dev 66(2):107–121, Review

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Tonkin SL, Vogel SA, Bennet L, Gunn AJ (2006) Apparently life threatening events in infant car safety seats. BMJ 333(7580):1205–1206

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions

J. Bergounioux and C. Rambaud conceptualized and designed the study, drafted the initial manuscript, and approved the final submitted manuscript.

C. Madre, A. Crucis-Armengaud, E. Briand-Huchet, AP. Michard-Lenoir, H. Patural, S. Dauger, S. Renolleau, AM. Teychéne, S. Henry, D. Biarent, C. Robin, and E. Werner participated in data collection, critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the final submitted manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Raymond Poincaré University Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France

    J. Bergounioux

  2. Inserm U1151, Pathogénie des Infections Systémiques, Paris, France

    J. Bergounioux

  3. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Robert Debré University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France

    C. Madre, A. Crucis-Armengaud & S. Dauger

  4. Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy Referral Center, Antoine Béclère University Hospital, AP-HP, Clamart, France

    E. Briand-Huchet

  5. Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy Referral Center, Grenoble University Hospital, Grenoble, France

    A. P. Michard-Lenoir

  6. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Saint Etienne University Hospital, Saint Etienne, France

    H. Patural

  7. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Armand Trousseau University Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France

    S. Renolleau

  8. Pediatrics Department, Jean Verdier University Hospital, AP-HP, Bondy, France

    A. M. Teychéne

  9. Pediatrics Department, Cornouaille Hospital, Quimper, France

    S. Henry

  10. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Reine Fabiola University Children’s Hospital, Brussels, Belgium

    D. Biarent

  11. Pediatrics Department, Poitiers University Hospital, Poitiers, France

    C. Robin

  12. Pediatrics Department, Orleans Hospital, Orleans, France

    E. Werner

  13. Forensics and Pathology Department, Raymond Poincaré University Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France

    C. Rambaud

Authors
  1. J. Bergounioux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Madre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Crucis-Armengaud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. E. Briand-Huchet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. P. Michard-Lenoir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. H. Patural
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. S. Dauger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. S. Renolleau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. A. M. Teychéne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. S. Henry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. D. Biarent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. C. Robin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. E. Werner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. C. Rambaud
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Bergounioux.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter de Winter

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bergounioux, J., Madre, C., Crucis-Armengaud, A. et al. Sudden deaths in adult-worn baby carriers: 19 cases. Eur J Pediatr 174, 1665–1670 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-015-2593-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-015-2593-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation