Sudden infant death syndrome is diagnosed when an infant dies during the sleep because of a sudden and unexpected death but an autopsy does not show obvious pathological lesions or injuries. Although literature indicates a wide range of various risk factors, there is no a single opinion of what causes sudden infant death syndrome.
Aim. Evaluate the association of sudden infant death syndrome, infant physiology and possible aspiration of saliva.
Materials and methods. In the period of 1995-2015, the State Forensic Medicine Service studied cases of deaths among children under 2 years old.
Results. After studying 191 infant deaths 29 sudden infant death syndrome cases were estabfished in the State Forensic Medicine Service. In all the studied cases of sudden infant death syndrome autopsies were found out the traces of foamy, pink liquid at the bifurcation of trachea, the lungs were full-blooded, swollen. After histological examination of the samples taken from respiratory system a serous fluid was found in the alveoli and larger bronchi and the changes characteristic to asphyxia.
Conclusion. After analysing the literature finding, microscopical and histological respiratory system investigation results of the examined infants who died of sudden infant death, it can be concluded that traces of serous fluid in the lungs possibly is saliva. Sudden infant death syndrome usually occurs in infants of 1-4 months. According to infant development physiology salivary gland secretion increases. However, infant swallowing reflex is not yet fully formed durfng this period.
