Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of an infant less than 1 year of age in which the cause was not obvious before investigation.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID): An umbrella category that describes all sudden, unexpected infant deaths—those from known causes, such as an injury or accident, and those from unknown causes.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): The sudden death of an infant younger than 1 year of age that doesn’t have a known cause, even after a full investigation. Health care providers, law enforcement, and others investigate infant deaths to figure out what caused them. This investigation includes a complete autopsy, examining the death scene, and reviewing the clinical history. If they cannot determine a cause of death for the infant or explain why the infant died, the medical examiner or coroner may categorize the death as SIDS.
Operated through the North Dakota Health and Human Services Agency, Family Health and Wellness Unit, the Injury Prevention Program provides the following services:
Injury Prevention Program Services:
Distribution of SUID and SIDS information to health care providers and the public.
SIDS Continuing Education for Nurses
Star Legacy Foundation - Resources for families who experience a stillbirth or pregnancy loss.
Safe Sleep Materials Order Form
North Dakota Breastfeeding Website
Additional Distributed SIDS information to health care providers and the public:
Additional Resources
Safe Sleep Videos
Sleep Safe ND PSA (American Indian): A 30-second video created by the ND Infant and Child Death Services Program discussing safe sleep practices.
Safe Sleep for Your Baby: A 10-minute video created by the Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign at NIH to discuss safe sleep practices.
Safe Sleep for Your Baby (Spanish): A 10-minute video in Spanish created by the Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign at NIH to discuss safe sleep practices.
Safe Sleep for Grandparents & Caregivers: A 7-minute video created by the Safe to Sleep Public Education Campaign at NIH to discuss safe sleep practices with grandparents and other caregivers.