The vast majority of these cases are down to parents not following guidance on how to minimise risk. But the researchers say that cot deaths are not investigated as thoroughly as they should be and some cases of parental abuse are being overlooked. The researchers call on the Home Office and the Department of Health to review the way cases of cot death, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, are investigated by doctors and police.
Cot death is the largest single category of deaths in babies over one month old.
In many cases they had ignored, or had failed to receive, advice such as laying their child on its back to sleep and not smoking. The study found that post-mortem investigations were not always thorough, diagnoses varied with the professionals involved, and medical and family histories which might prove important were not routinely available. Parents may not be properly advised or supported, and uninformed speculation concerning maltreatment may arise. We could be losing valuable information that may prevent further tragedies. We believe we owe it to our babies to do as much as we possibly can to try to find out why cot death is still the main cause of death in infancy.