AJPH -- eLetters for Tomashek et al., 96 (12) 2222-2227

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RESEARCH AND PRACTICE:
Kay M. Tomashek, Cheng Qin, Jason Hsia, Solomon Iyasu, Wanda D. Barfield, and Lisa M. Flowers
Infant Mortality Trends and Differences Between American Indian/Alaska Native Infants and White Infants in the United States, 1989–1991 and 1998–2000
Am J Public Health 2006; 96: 2222-2227 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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Skewing SIDS Fatality Statistics: Edward J. O'Hagan (7 November 2006)

Skewing SIDS Fatality Statistics 7 November 2006

Edward J. O'Hagan,
retired
none
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Re: Skewing SIDS Fatality Statistics

eohagan{at}cogeco.ca Edward J. O'Hagan

Currently there are several groups that have been identified as being at increased hazard of SIDS. Despite the successful work of Kalokerinos in Australia, Klenner in North Carolina, USA, and a third unnamed physician in Mexico in abolishing the occurrence of subclinical scurvy in their infant patients, the medical profession at large appears to have been interested solely in contradicting their claims that this early form of scurvy was, and still is, being mistakenly tagged as SIDS.
There can be absolutely no doubt whatsoever that Kalokerinos, Klenner, and the doctor in Mexico accomplished precisely what they claimed. And it doesn't take a genius to conclude that if Australia, North Carolina, USA, and Mexico had/have their fair share of vitamin C deficient infants, then the same would apply anywhere in the world ... given similar circumstances.
If we look at groups which experience elevated occurrences of SIDS fatalities, namely Blacks, Native Americans, poor whites, single mothers, Alaskan Inuit, Australian Aborigines, and New Zealand Maori, it's not too difficult to understand that what they all have in common is socioeconomic deprivation of one kind or another, mainly poverty. Lack of vitamin C in their diets certainly can just as unsurprisingly result in deaths of their infants due to subclinical scurvy.
Although I do not agree that subclinical scurvy is SIDS per se, still I would certainly want to suggest that those who perform autopsies are failing to identify it for what it is. The essential point is that if we were to ensure that mothers of infants and mothers-to-be in the above named high risk groups were to be provided with a daily dose of vitamin C, it would not be unreasonable to expect that the related "SIDS" fatality statistics would accordingly decline.
Ed O'Hagan