ISSUES IN DIAGNOSIS FOLLOWING THE SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME INTERVENTION CAMPAIGNS

The fall in numbers of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) deaths in r ecent years has resulted in questions being asked as to whether change s in the pathological assessment and diagnosis of such cases have infl uenced reported death rates. Specific concerns have been raised about possible changes in diagnostic criteria, differences in the evaluation of these infants and the possibility of changes in the pathological f indings at autopsy. However, no major changes in either diagnostic cri teria or in pathological features appear to have occurred, despite som e changes in the epidemiological characteristics of cases.