Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the sudden death of a child 12 months of age or older that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. These deaths elude our scientific understanding. SUDC cannot be predicted or prevented at this time. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, 392 children between the ages of 1-18 years died suddenly without a clear cause of death determined. Most of these children were toddlers, aged 1-4 years; an incidence of 1.4 deaths per 100,000 toddler aged children. Research and awareness of SUDC remains limited.
