A cause of death for Matt Bryant's 3-month-old son, Tryson, will not be available for at least four to six weeks, which is not uncommon, said Dick Bailey, operations manager for the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's Office. Final autopsy results will not be ready for about 12 weeks.
The most common cause of death in babies under 1-year-old is SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. About 4,500 babies in the United States die each year for no apparent reason. About half of those deaths are classified as SIDS — cases in which doctors cannot find an explanation.
The death rate from SIDS has dropped by more than 50 percent since 1992, when the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that babies be placed on their backs to sleep. Premature babies are at greater risk for SIDS.
Other risk factors for SIDS include: sleeping on the tummy or side; sleeping on a soft surface, such as a couch or water bed; sleeping with pillows, loose bedding or stuffed toys; overheating; exposure to cigarette smoke; and sharing a parent's bed.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics
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