Jennifer Burnham's son, Jack, died suddenly in his sleep at just eight months old. The cause was determined to be sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a condition where an otherwise healthy baby dies unexpectedly during sleep.
SIDS is the unexplained death of an infant younger than one year old, typically during sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants between one month and one year old. The exact cause remains unknown, but research suggests it may involve abnormalities in the baby's brain that control breathing and arousal from sleep.
Jack Burnham, the son of author Jennifer Burnham and her husband, died in his sleep on January 26, 2011. The couple found him unresponsive in his crib. Despite immediate medical attention, Jack could not be revived. The official cause of death was ruled as SIDS.
Many people mistakenly believe that SIDS is caused by suffocation or choking. However, the CDC clarifies that SIDS is not the same as suffocation or choking. It is also not caused by vaccines, cough medicine, or crib death due to suffocation.
While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, there are steps parents can take to reduce the risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: