Learning to Communicate with a SIDS Establishment that Denies the Cause of Sudden Infant Deaths

A high incidence, and most of the features, of ‘cot deaths’ were described 50 years ago. While avoidance of prone sleeping led to a significant reduction of SIDS incidence it remained the most frequent post-perinatal death. The consensus of the establishment is that the cause(s) is/are not understood. The toxic gas theory by Richardson, however, renders this consensus incorrect. While it (1) was based on definite experimental evidence, (2) could explain practically all of the features associated with SIDS, and (3) was the basis for the first significant decline of SIDS incidence in England and Wales, the establishment did not accept the evidence, in particular after two Expert Groups established by the British Department of Health concluded in their Final Report of May 1998, that the toxic gas theory was unsubstantiated. Richardson’s Comments, however, submitted in June 1998 which refuted these conclusions have been suppressed. The impact of this neglect has been tremendous. T. J. Sprott in New Zealand meanwhile has provided conclusive evidence that children protected by polythene covers of their mattresses will not die from SIDS. At present the SIDS establishment are launching an improved definition and diagnosis of SIDS to provide a better framework for investigations and put an end to ‘‘the literature that is beset by contradictions and unsubstantiated conclusions’’. Looking forward now to how long it may take until an effective means of SIDS prevention will be accepted, a look into Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions may help to begin effective professional communication that can bring about the necessary change to save babies’ lives. To improve the tedious expert–expert interaction in professional journals one may use the modern means of communication, coordinate reader–reader and reader–author interaction by email to gain control of the biased establishment. Experience shows that individual efforts cannot overcome their powerful defence. In conclusion, it will take a coordinated activity of motivated readers who are well established in their local communities using the means of modern communication to promote effective national and international SIDS prevention.