Skip to main content
Skip to main content

AAP Gateway

Advanced Search »

User menu

  • Login
  • AAP Policy
  • Topic/Program Collections
  • Submit Manuscript
  • Alerts
  • Subscribe
  • aap.org

Menu

  • AAP Grand Rounds
  • AAP News
  • Hospital Pediatrics
  • NeoReviews
  • Pediatrics
  • Pediatrics in Review
  • Current AAP Policy
  • Journal CME
  • AAP Career Center
  • Pediatric Collections
  • AAP Journals Catalog

Sections

    • Login
    • AAP Policy
    • Topic/Program Collections
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Alerts
    • Subscribe
    • aap.org

    Get Involved! Pediatrics is accepting nominations for Editorial Board positions.

    Sign up for Insight Alerts highlighting editor-chosen studies with the greatest impact on clinical care.
    Video Abstracts -- brief videos summarizing key findings of new articles
    Watch the Features Video to learn more about Pediatrics.

    Advertising Disclaimer »

    This policy is a revision of the policy in

    • 118(1):421

    Tools and Links

    Pediatrics
    September 2001, VOLUME 108 / ISSUE 3
    AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

    Addendum: Distinguishing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome From Child Abuse Fatalities

    Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect
    • Article
    • Info & Metrics
    • Comments
    Loading

    See original article:

    • Reverse of Errata - February 01, 2001
    Download PDF
  • Abbreviations:
    AAP =
    American Academy of Pediatrics •
    SIDS =
    sudden infant death syndrome •
    NAME =
    National Association of Medical Examiners
  • In the February 2001 issue ofPediatrics (2001;107:437–441), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect issued an update of the AAP policy statement “Distinguishing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome From Child Abuse Fatalities.” This revised statement provides pediatricians with information and guidelines to avoid distressing or stigmatizing families of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) victims while allowing accumulation of appropriate evidence in potential cases of death by infanticide. The policy statement contains 10 specific recommendations for evaluation of sudden, unexpected infant deaths, including “examination of the dead infant at a hospital emergency department by a child maltreatment specialist.”

    In response to this policy statement, the executive committee of the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) has pointed out that “medical examiners and coroners have the sole legal authority to investigate deaths that are sudden, unexpected, unexplained, and potentially due to external causes such as injury.” They went on to indicate that “examination or manipulation of the deceased body by child maltreatment experts without proper statutory authority or family permission may constitute a tort or be a violation of criminal law.”

    On the basis of these valid concerns, this specific recommendation is hereby rescinded. In its place, the following recommendation should be inserted: “appropriate utilization of available medical specialists by medical examiners and coroners (eg, pediatrician, pediatric pathologist, radiologist, pediatric neuropathologist, etc).” NAME and the AAP Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect have agreed to collaborate on any future revisions of this policy statement.

    Footnotes

    • The recommendations in this statement do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.

    • Copyright © 2001 American Academy of Pediatrics
    View Abstract
    PreviousNext

     

    Advertising Disclaimer »

    View this article with LENS
    PreviousNext
    Email

    Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Pediatrics.

    NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

    Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
    Addendum: Distinguishing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome From Child Abuse Fatalities
    (Your Name) has sent you a message from Pediatrics
    (Your Name) thought you would like to see the Pediatrics web site.

    Alerts
    Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
    Citation Tools
    Addendum: Distinguishing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome From Child Abuse Fatalities
    Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect
    Pediatrics Sep 2001, 108 (3) 812; DOI: 10.1542/peds.108.3.812

    Citation Manager Formats

    • BibTeX
    • Bookends
    • EasyBib
    • EndNote (tagged)
    • EndNote 8 (xml)
    • Medlars
    • Mendeley
    • Papers
    • RefWorks Tagged
    • Ref Manager
    • RIS
    • Zotero
    Share
    Addendum: Distinguishing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome From Child Abuse Fatalities
    Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect
    Pediatrics Sep 2001, 108 (3) 812; DOI: 10.1542/peds.108.3.812
    del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Technorati logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Connotea logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
    Print
    PDF
    Insight Alerts
    • Table of Contents
    • Current Policy
    • Early Release
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Editorial Board
    • Editorial Policies
    • Overview
    • Features Video
    • Open Access
    • Pediatric Collections
    • Video Abstracts
    • Author Guidelines
    • Reviewer Guidelines
    • Submit My Manuscript

    Subjects

    • Fetus/Newborn Infant
      • Fetus/Newborn Infant
      • SIDS
    • Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Child Abuse and Neglect
    Back to top

                

    Copyright © 2019 by American Academy of Pediatrics

    International Access »

    Terms of Use
    The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) takes the issue of privacy very seriously. See our Privacy Statement for information about how AAP collects, uses, safeguards and discloses the information collected on our Website from visitors and by means of technology.
    FAQ

     

    AAP Pediatrics