10-07-2006, 07:41 AM
A 12-month-old boy is brought to the emergency department in the middle of the night by the
paramedics. The parents called 911 after having found him lifeless in bed 2 hour earlier. They
had put him to sleep the previous night and went to sleep themselves, just as they do every
night. The mother woke up at approximately 3 AM and went into the boy's room to check on
him. She found him on his back, in the same position he had fallen asleep, but he was not
breathing and she could not feel a pulse. She immediately called the paramedics and tried
reviving him herself. When the paramedics arrived, the child was in cardiorespiratory arrest
and they initiated cardiopulmonary respiration for 45 minutes without effect. He was
pronounced dead at 4:10 AM in the emergency department. The child's parents are in the
quiet room, devastated by the events, and keep stating that he was perfectly healthy and
asking how this could have happened. The physician tries to comfort them as best as possible
and explain that there is a possibility the child has fallen victim to sudden infant death
syndrome, a cause of unexplained death in apparently healthy infants. Which of the following
findings is most likely to support the diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome?
A. Age 12 months at time of death
B. Diffuse intrathoracic petechiae on autopsy
C. Multiple bruises on the forearms and shins on autopsy
D. Retinal hemorrhages on autopsy
E. The victim was found laying on his back in the position that he was placed to sleep
paramedics. The parents called 911 after having found him lifeless in bed 2 hour earlier. They
had put him to sleep the previous night and went to sleep themselves, just as they do every
night. The mother woke up at approximately 3 AM and went into the boy's room to check on
him. She found him on his back, in the same position he had fallen asleep, but he was not
breathing and she could not feel a pulse. She immediately called the paramedics and tried
reviving him herself. When the paramedics arrived, the child was in cardiorespiratory arrest
and they initiated cardiopulmonary respiration for 45 minutes without effect. He was
pronounced dead at 4:10 AM in the emergency department. The child's parents are in the
quiet room, devastated by the events, and keep stating that he was perfectly healthy and
asking how this could have happened. The physician tries to comfort them as best as possible
and explain that there is a possibility the child has fallen victim to sudden infant death
syndrome, a cause of unexplained death in apparently healthy infants. Which of the following
findings is most likely to support the diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome?
A. Age 12 months at time of death
B. Diffuse intrathoracic petechiae on autopsy
C. Multiple bruises on the forearms and shins on autopsy
D. Retinal hemorrhages on autopsy
E. The victim was found laying on his back in the position that he was placed to sleep