Cot deaths more likely to occur at weekends says study

Cot deaths are more likely to occur at weekends, a study has confirmed.

Researchers identified the trend after analysing 12,762 sudden infant deaths from around Britain. They found that cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome peaked on Saturdays and Sundays.

Just under a third of weekly deaths occurred at the weekend - significantly more than the expected figure of 28.6 per cent.

The peak was much more obvious among babies aged 4 months or younger. The reason for the phenomenon is unclear, but it has been suggested that parents might pay less attention to their babies at weekends.