Analysis of 265 autopsies of sudden death in children.

Objective: To investigate the causes of death and characteristics of sudden death in children and to offer scientific bases for prevention and cure, and medicolegal expertise of sudden death in children.

Material: A retrospective study was carried out on the 265 cases of sudden death in children under 14 years old from 1960 to 2003 in three key hospitals of Haikou city, Hainan Province, China.

Result: Of the 265 cases, 164 were male and 101 were female (1.6:1). Most of them were babies aged 1 month-1 year (37.0%). The three most common causes of sudden death in children were diseases such as lobular pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia and viral pneumonia.

Conclusion: Most of the reported cases of sudden death in children were babies aged 1 month approximately <1 year and males were much more than females in the ratio of 1.6:1. The main diseases causing sudden death were the diseases of the respiratory system, especially pneumonia.