MESH-SIDED COTS - YET ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS INFANT SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT

Two cases of accidental asphyxia involving an 11.5 month old boy and a 3.5 month old boy who each died after being trapped between the elast ic mesh side of their cots and the cot mattress are reported. In both cases the original cot mattress had either been replaced or augmented by a less well fitting, thicker mattress. Particular problems that exi st with these type of mesh sided cots are the potential for considerab le stretching of the side of the cot admitting the relatively larger, poorly supported infant head, with elastic recoil of the mesh holding the head in potentially dangerous positions. To help determine whether accidental asphyxia has occurred, death scene examination in cases of sudden infant death during sleep should include reconstruction of the position of the body in the cot or bed, with careful examination of t he structure of the cot/bed.