Editing SIDS (section)

===Differential diagnosis===
Some conditions that are often undiagnosed and could be confused with or [[comorbidity|comorbid]] with SIDS include:
* [[medium-chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency]] (MCAD deficiency);<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Yang Z, Lantz PE, Ibdah JA | title = Post-mortem analysis for two prevalent beta-oxidation mutations in sudden infant death | journal = Pediatrics International | volume = 49 | issue = 6 | pages = 883–887 | date = December 2007 | pmid = 18045290 | doi = 10.1111/j.1442-200X.2007.02478.x | s2cid = 25455710 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
* infant [[botulism]];<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Nevas M, Lindström M, Virtanen A, Hielm S, Kuusi M, Arnon SS, Vuori E, Korkeala H | display-authors = 6 | title = Infant botulism acquired from household dust presenting as sudden infant death syndrome | journal = Journal of Clinical Microbiology | volume = 43 | issue = 1 | pages = 511–513 | date = January 2005 | pmid = 15635031 | pmc = 540168 | doi = 10.1128/JCM.43.1.511-513.2005 }}</ref>
* [[long QT syndrome]] (accounting for less than 2% of cases);<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Millat G, Kugener B, Chevalier P, Chahine M, Huang H, Malicier D, Rodriguez-Lafrasse C, Rousson R | display-authors = 6 | title = Contribution of long-QT syndrome genetic variants in sudden infant death syndrome | journal = Pediatric Cardiology | volume = 30 | issue = 4 | pages = 502–509 | date = May 2009 | pmid = 19322600 | doi = 10.1007/s00246-009-9417-2 | s2cid = 7473579 }}</ref>
* ''[[Helicobacter pylori]]'' bacterial infections;<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Stray-Pedersen A, Vege A, Rognum TO | title = Helicobacter pylori antigen in stool is associated with SIDS and sudden infant deaths due to infectious disease | journal = Pediatric Research | volume = 64 | issue = 4 | pages = 405–410 | date = October 2008 | pmid = 18535491 | doi = 10.1203/PDR.0b013e31818095f7 | doi-access = free }}</ref>
* [[shaken baby syndrome]] and other forms of [[child abuse]];<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Bajanowski T, Vennemann M, Bohnert M, Rauch E, Brinkmann B, Mitchell EA | title = Unnatural causes of sudden unexpected deaths initially thought to be sudden infant death syndrome | journal = International Journal of Legal Medicine | volume = 119 | issue = 4 | pages = 213–216 | date = July 2005 | pmid = 15830244 | doi = 10.1007/s00414-005-0538-8 | s2cid = 34327548 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Du Chesne A, Bajanowski T, Brinkmann B | title = [Homicides without clues in children] | language = de | journal = Archiv für Kriminologie | volume = 199 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 21–26 | year = 1997 | pmid = 9157833 }}</ref>
*[[overlaying]], child smothering during carer's sleep<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Williams FL, Lang GA, Mage DT | title = Sudden unexpected infant deaths in Dundee, 1882-1891: overlying or SIDS? | journal = Scottish Medical Journal | volume = 46 | issue = 2 | pages = 43–47 | date = April 2001 | pmid = 11394337 | doi = 10.1177/003693300104600206 | s2cid = 29612195 }}</ref>

For example, an infant with MCAD deficiency might die by "classical SIDS" if found [[swaddling|swaddled]] and [[prone]], with its head covered, in an overheated room where [[smoking and pregnancy|parents were smoking]]. Genes indicating susceptibility to MCAD and Long QT syndrome do not protect an infant from dying of classical SIDS. Therefore, the presence of a susceptibility gene, such as for MCAD, means the infant might have died either from SIDS or from MCAD deficiency. It is currently impossible for a pathologist to distinguish between them.

A 2010 study looked at 554 autopsies of infants in [[North Carolina]] that listed SIDS as the cause of death and suggested that many of these deaths may have been due to accidental suffocation.  The study found that 69% of autopsies listed other possible risk factors that could have led to death, such as unsafe bedding or sleeping with adults.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sids/ |title=Cradle of Secrets |website=CharlotteObserver.com |access-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811030214/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sids/ |archive-date=2011-08-11 }}</ref>

Several instances of [[infanticide]] have been uncovered in which the diagnosis was originally SIDS.<ref name="Glatt 2000">{{cite book |title=Cradle of Death: A Shocking True Story of a Mother, Multiple Murder, and SIDS |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-312-97302-5 | vauthors = Glatt J |publisher=Macmillan}}</ref><ref name="Havill 2002">{{cite book |title=While Innocents Slept: A Story of Revenge, Murder, and SIDS |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-312-97517-3 | vauthors = Havill A |publisher=Macmillan}}</ref> Since an autopsy is often unable to determine whether asphyxiation is caused intentionally, medical practitioners rely on patient and family history and evidence of prior abuse to identify cases of infanticide.<ref name="pediatrics-hymel"/> Some estimates in the 1980s and 1990s placed the potential rate of SIDS deaths caused by maltreatment around 10% and as high as 40%, but data from interventions such as the [[Safe to Sleep]] campaign suggest that these figures were substantially inflated.<ref name="afp-milroy"/> In 2006, the [[American Academy of Pediatrics]] estimated that between 1% and 5% of SIDS cases were potentially attributable to undiagnosed infanticide.<ref name="pediatrics-hymel"/>

Some have underestimated the risk of two SIDS deaths occurring in the same family; the [[Royal Statistical Society]] issued a media release refuting expert testimony in one UK case, in which the conviction was subsequently overturned.<ref>[http://www.rss.org.uk/main.asp?pages =1225 "About Statistics and the Law"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902044706/http://www.rss.org.uk/main.asp?pages |date=2 September 2007 }} (Website). Royal Statistical Society. (2001-10-23) Retrieved on 2007-09-22</ref>