SIDS Risk Calculator
Check your baby's sleep environment against evidence-based SIDS risk factors and get a clear, actionable safe sleep summary.
What is it?
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby under one year of age, usually during sleep. It is the leading cause of death in babies between one month and one year old in high-income countries, affecting approximately 1 in 1,000 live births. Despite decades of research, the exact mechanism is not fully understood, but scientists have identified a broad set of environmental and biological risk factors that significantly increase or decrease the likelihood of SIDS. This free online calculator helps parents and caregivers review the baby's current sleep environment and routine against the most up-to-date evidence-based risk and protective factors. You answer a short checklist of questions drawn from guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the UK Lullaby Trust and equivalent European bodies. The tool then summarises which factors in your specific situation increase risk, which reduce it, and gives you a prioritised list of changes you can make today. This tool is an educational reference only. It does not replace advice from a paediatrician, midwife or healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your baby's health or sleep, contact a qualified medical professional immediately.
How to use it
- Work through each section: Sleep Position, Sleep Surface, Sleep Environment, Parent & Household Factors, and Baby Factors.
- Answer every question honestly based on your baby's actual current sleep situation.
- The tool highlights each answer in red (increases risk), green (reduces risk) or grey (neutral/not applicable).
- Review the Risk Summary at the bottom, which lists your active risk factors in order of evidence strength.
- Read the Recommendations panel for specific, actionable steps to reduce risk.
- Print or save the summary to share with a partner, family member or healthcare provider.
Why use this tool
SIDS risk is not random — up to 90 % of cases are associated with at least one known, modifiable environmental risk factor. The landmark "Back to Sleep" campaign in the 1990s reduced SIDS deaths by more than 50 % simply by changing infant sleep position. More recent research has further identified the importance of sleep surface firmness, room sharing, breastfeeding, pacifier use and eliminating tobacco smoke exposure. Many parents are aware of the basic "back to sleep, firm surface" advice but are unaware of the cumulative effect of multiple smaller risk factors. This tool makes the interaction visible: a baby sleeping on their back on a firm surface in a room with a smoker, in a very warm room without a pacifier, still faces a significantly elevated risk compared to the same position with all other factors optimised. The checklist format helps caregivers identify blind spots quickly — especially grandparents or other caregivers who may be applying older guidance — and provides a clear, evidence-referenced summary to share with anyone who looks after the baby.
Frequently asked questions
Until what age should I follow safe sleep guidelines?
The AAP and most national guidelines recommend following safe sleep practices for the first 12 months of life, with the highest-risk period being between 2 and 4 months of age.
Is bed-sharing always dangerous?
Bed-sharing significantly increases SIDS risk, especially when the adult has consumed alcohol or sedating medication, smokes, or the surface is very soft. Room sharing on a separate firm surface is recommended instead — it reduces risk by up to 50 % compared to sleeping in a different room.
Do pacifiers really reduce SIDS risk?
Yes. Multiple studies show that offering a pacifier at the start of every sleep reduces SIDS risk by approximately 50–90 %. The mechanism is not fully understood but may relate to preventing deep sleep stages or maintaining airway patency. Breastfeeding should be established first (usually 3–4 weeks) before introducing a pacifier.
What room temperature is safest?
Most guidelines recommend keeping the baby's room between 16 °C and 20 °C (61–68 °F). Overheating — indicated by a warm, sweaty chest or flushed face — is a known risk factor. Use light, breathable layers and avoid heavy blankets or sleeping bags rated for adult use.
Does breastfeeding protect against SIDS?
Yes. Any breastfeeding, even partial, reduces SIDS risk. Exclusive breastfeeding for at least two months is associated with the strongest protective effect, potentially reducing risk by around 50 %.
My baby rolls onto their stomach in sleep. What should I do?
Always place the baby on their back to start sleep. Once a baby can roll from back to front and front to back independently, it is generally considered safe to leave them in the position they move to on their own. Continue placing them on their back to start until at least 12 months.