NEW YORK, NY – A recent study published in the journal Neurology may have uncovered a potential cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as crib death. Researchers at NYU Langone studied more than 300 cases of sudden unexplained deaths in children (SUDC) in an effort to shed light on this mysterious and tragic phenomenon. The study suggests that brief seizures accompanied by muscle convulsions may be responsible for some of these sudden deaths, which typically occur during sleep in infants younger than 6 months old.
Dr. Laura Gould, lead researcher, emphasized the significance of their findings, stating that this study offers the first direct evidence that seizures could be a contributing factor to these tragic deaths. Their research examined video recordings of the babies sleeping, as well as medical records, revealing that the convulsions lasted for less than 60 seconds and occurred within 30 minutes of the child’s death.
Furthermore, the study found a potential link between SUDC and febrile seizures, as children who experienced these seizures accompanied by fever were 10 times more likely to die suddenly and unexpectedly. While the team at NYU did not find direct evidence that fevers triggered the deaths, they did observe signs of mild infections in several of the children.
This breakthrough comes on the heels of a separate study that identified low levels of the blood enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as a potential cause of SIDS. While these findings provide important insights into the potential causes of SIDS and SUDC, further research is needed to fully understand how seizures and enzymes contribute to these tragic deaths.
The research conducted by the NYU team offers hope for families affected by these sudden and unexplained deaths, providing a glimpse into potential causes and paving the way for future prevention and intervention efforts. As scientists continue to unravel the mysteries of SIDS and SUDC, these findings offer a ray of hope for grieving families and shed light on a previously enigmatic phenomenon.