About SUDC (sudden unexplained death in childhood)

SUDC is a category of sudden death in children between the ages of 1-18 years that remains unexplained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy.

SUDC is a rare cause of death, occurring in otherwise seemingly healthy children. It is estimated that in the year 2019, 342 children in the USA were affected by SUDC. The majority of those deaths were in children aged 1-4 years. However, due to variations in post mortem investigations and the way deaths are certified by medical examiners or coroners, it is likely that many SUDC deaths remain misclassified and, as a result, under reported.

Given that so much is still unknown about SUDC, it is currently impossible to identify risk factors to predict or prevent SUDC related deaths. Much awareness and advocacy is needed in order to fund and perform research as to why such deaths may occur and how they can be eventually prevented in the future.

For more information on SUDC, please visit the SUDC Foundation's website.