Sudden unexplained death in childhood
Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the death of a child over the age of 12 months which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation and autopsy. There has not been enough research to identify risk factors, common characteristics, or prevention strategies for SUDC.
| Sudden unexplained death in childhood | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Pediatrics |
| Symptoms | None |
| Complications | Death |
| Usual onset | Sudden |
| Duration | Unknown |
| Types | Unknown |
| Causes | Heart arrhythmias, seizures |
| Risk factors | Family history of sudden death |
| Diagnostic method | Unexplained death of a child of 1-18 years |
| Prevention | None |
| Treatment | None |
| Medication | None |
| Prognosis | Unknown |
| Frequency | 1.2 out of 100,000 |
| Deaths | 1.2 out of 100,000 |
SUDC is similar in concept to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Like SIDS, SUDC is a diagnosis of exclusion, the concrete symptom of both being death. However, SIDS is a diagnosis specifically for infants under the age of 12 months while SUDC is a diagnosis for children 12 months and older. The causes of SIDS and SUDC are not known but there's a good chance heart arrhythmias and seizures are the main causes. It can happen to any child.
Hypotheses
Researchers are exploring a possible connection between sudden unexplained death in toddlers, febrile seizures, and hippocampal anomalies.[1][2]
Epidemiology
SUDC is rare, with a reported incidence in the United States of 1.2 deaths per 100,000 children, compared to 54 deaths per 100,000 live births for SIDs, however it could be higher or lower [3] SUDC deaths have occurred at the following sites:[4]
- Death at home, history provided: 79%
- Crib or bassinet: 54%
- Adult bed: 36%
The placed and found positions were as follows:
- Placed supine, side, prone*: 10%, 2%, 3%
- Found prone: 89%
- Found face position: down, side: 10%, 8%
- Co-sleeping, sweating when found: 3%, 1%
*applies only to youngest children
History
At the SIDS Alliance national convention in Atlanta, GA in 1999 Dr. Henry Krous gave a presentation titled "Post-Infancy SIDS: Is it on the rise?" This led to the beginning of the San Diego SUDC Research Project. The first definition of SUDC was published in 2005 in Pediatric and Developmental Pathology.[5][6][7]
References
- Holm, Ingrid A.; Poduri, Annapurna; Crandall, Laura; Haas, Elisabeth; Grafe, Marjorie R.; Kinney, Hannah C.; Krous, Henry F. (1 April 2012). "Inheritance of Febrile Seizures in Sudden Unexplained Death in Toddlers". Pediatric Neurology. 46 (4): 235–239. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2012.02.007. PMC 4009678. PMID 22490769. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- {{cite Hugh journal|last=Kinney|first=Hannah C.|author2=Chadwick, Amy E. |author3=Crandall, Laura A. |author4=Grafe, Marjorie |author5=Armstrong, Dawna L. |author6=Kupsky, William J. |author7=Trachtenberg, Felicia L. |author8= Krous, Henry F. |title=Sudden Death, Febrile Seizures, and Hippocampal and Temporal Lobe Maldevelopment in Toddlers: A New Entity|journal=Pediatric and Developmental Pathology|date=1 December 2009|volume=12|issue=6|pages=455–463|doi=10.2350/08-09-0542.1|pmid=19606910|pmc=3286023}}
- "Fact Sheet - Sudden Unexplained Death In Childhood (SUDC)". Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- "Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood". Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- "History - Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood". Retrieved 27 February 2013.
- "What should the nurse teach the parents about preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)". Retrieved 2018-12-12.
- Krous, Henry F.; Chadwick, Amy E.; Crandall, Laura; Nadeau-Manning, Julie M. (14 July 2005). "Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood:A Report of 50 Cases". Pediatric and Developmental Pathology. 8 (3): 307–319. doi:10.1007/s10024-005-1155-8. PMID 16010494. S2CID 45662715.