When a baby or toddler dies without warning, parents often blame themselves. A study at Boston Children’s may provide some insight into sudden, unexplained child deaths and perhaps a measure of closure. It suggests that at least 10 percent of children who die suddenly have an undiagnosed genetic condition that caused or contributed to their death.
“When we first meet with families, they may say, ‘Well, they told me it was SIDS, and it meant they don’t know anything and there’s nothing to do,’” says Dr. Richard Goldstein, who directs Robert’s Program on Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics. “That’s not really fair and it’s not enough. There is plenty we can do.”
