Sudden unexpected death in infancy

Dr Julie-Ann Maney

Consultant Paediatric Emergency Medicine

Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children

Presentation to:

Sudden unexpected death infancyLearning objectives

• How to approach a sudden unexpected death in an infant

• Legal and forensic issues

• Prevention and the Northern Ireland experience

Why children die?

• UK • Why• NI• Medical intervention• What can we do• Action

Back to sleep campaign

Case Baby Jack

• Standby call CPR ongoing• Age 7 weeks old • Born 33 weeks• NICU discharged 1800g • Breastfeeding and thriving • Routine follow up planned

Case Baby Jack

• Standby call Saturday 0950 • CPR commenced 0942• Arrived 1000• Intubated, IO needle 3x

adrenaline

• Death declared 1016 hours futile to continue

SUDI Pack

• History• Documentation• Intra-cardiac samples• Urine samples• Forensic chain of evidence• Identify Body to Police

Care of the family

Baby Jane

• Asystolic arrest 16 week old• A intubated• B gasping resps• C pulseless, 1 x adrenaline

output returned 2x IO needles• In care of father• Life declared extinct 24 hours

later.

Multiagency approach

Sudden Infant death: Safe sleeping campaign

• Collaboration with Public health agency and RBHSC

• Cluster of 3 Sudden unexpected death in infancy

• Sudden infant death awareness campaign

• Resources developed, public awareness ascertained

• Work ongoing to prevent child death

Bednest deaths

Questions