Definitions of Terms
| Bed-sharing: Parent(s) and infant sleeping together on any surface (bed, couch, chair). |
| Caregivers: Throughout the document, “parents” are used, but this term is meant to indicate any infant caregivers. |
| Cosleeping: This term is commonly used, but the task force finds it confusing, and it is not used in this document. When used, authors need to make clear whether they are referring to sleeping in close proximity (which does not necessarily entail bed-sharing) or bed-sharing. |
| Room-sharing: Parent(s) and infant sleeping in the same room on separate surfaces. |
| Sleep-related infant death: SUID that occurs during an observed or unobserved sleep period. |
| Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): Cause assigned to infant deaths that cannot be explained after a thorough case investigation, including a scene investigation, autopsy, and review of the clinical history.1 |
| Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), or sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI): A sudden and unexpected death, whether explained or unexplained (including SIDS), occurring during infancy. |
| Bed-sharing: Parent(s) and infant sleeping together on any surface (bed, couch, chair). |
| Caregivers: Throughout the document, “parents” are used, but this term is meant to indicate any infant caregivers. |
| Cosleeping: This term is commonly used, but the task force finds it confusing, and it is not used in this document. When used, authors need to make clear whether they are referring to sleeping in close proximity (which does not necessarily entail bed-sharing) or bed-sharing. |
| Room-sharing: Parent(s) and infant sleeping in the same room on separate surfaces. |
| Sleep-related infant death: SUID that occurs during an observed or unobserved sleep period. |
| Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): Cause assigned to infant deaths that cannot be explained after a thorough case investigation, including a scene investigation, autopsy, and review of the clinical history.1 |
| Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), or sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI): A sudden and unexpected death, whether explained or unexplained (including SIDS), occurring during infancy. |