The Cry Characteristics of an Infant Who Died of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

¹ State University of New York Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse
² University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore

Fourteen cries of a four day old infant who subsequently died suddenly of unexplained causes were analyzed on nine acoustic characteristics including f_o, duration, formant frequencies and sound pressure level. In comparison to a group of newborn controls, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) victim's cries exhibited a lower f_o, longer duration, lower formant frequencies and greater sound pressure level throughout the spectrum. Cry duration and sound pressure levels, however, deviated in excess of one standard deviation from the mean of the other newborns. Similar findings resulted when the SIDS infant was compared to a group of full term infants who were siblings of SIDS victims, although the magnitude of the differences was slightly less especially with respect to sound pressure level. Measurement of selected acoustic variables in a newborn's cry may be of value in our understanding of SIDS and for identifying infants at risks.

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				S. L. Weinstein and A. Steinschneider QTc and R-R Intervals in Victims of the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, October 1, 1985; 139(10): 987 - 990. [Abstract] [PDF]