Thanatology: sudden infant death: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Thanatology: sudden infant death

Sample item

A paediatrician counsels the parents of a healthy newborn about reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Which advice is most appropriate?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Place the baby on the back to sleep on a firm mattress

SIDS is the sudden unexplained death of an infant under one year that remains unexplained after investigation, scene examination and autopsy. Risk is reduced by supine sleeping on a firm surface, avoiding soft bedding, overheating, bed-sharing and tobacco smoke exposure, and by breastfeeding. Prone sleeping is a major risk factor.

Option by option

  • A. Use pillows and soft toys to keep the baby comfortable

    Pillows and soft toys raise the risk of suffocation and rebreathing.

  • B. Place the baby on the back to sleep on a firm mattress (correct)

    Correct. Supine sleeping on a firm surface lowers the risk of SIDS.

  • C. Share a soft bed with the parents for warmth

    Bed-sharing on soft surfaces increases the risk of suffocation and SIDS.

  • D. Place the baby prone to prevent aspiration

    Prone sleeping increases the risk of SIDS.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Place the baby on the back to sleep on a firm mattress. SIDS is the sudden unexplained death of an infant under one year that remains unexplained after investigation, scene examination and autopsy.

Why is "Use pillows and soft toys to keep the baby comfortable" not the answer?

Pillows and soft toys raise the risk of suffocation and rebreathing.

Why is "Share a soft bed with the parents for warmth" not the answer?

Bed-sharing on soft surfaces increases the risk of suffocation and SIDS.

Why is "Place the baby prone to prevent aspiration" not the answer?

Prone sleeping increases the risk of SIDS.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Thanatology: sudden infant death in Forensic Medicine. Risk is reduced by supine sleeping on a firm surface, avoiding soft bedding, overheating, bed-sharing and tobacco smoke exposure, and by breastfeeding. Prone sleeping is a major risk factor.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Thanatology: sudden infant death?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.