Positional asphyxia in individuals with severe cerebral palsy.

The authors report the accidental death by positional asphyxia of three individuals with cerebral palsy occurring after they had been placed in bed for the night. During the five-year period between 1984 and 1989, 12 per cent of deaths from positional asphyxia in King County, Washington, involved individuals with cerebral palsy. Such accidents are similar to those occurring among healthy young children, perhaps because both groups have limited motor skills. Further research into accidents among disabled persons may clarify their special risks and possibly lead to modifications in bed design.