Latest news with #SUDCFoundation
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Connecticut Families: Milford mom and pediatrician raises awareness of SUDC, Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood
ORANGE, Conn. (WTNH) — Many of us have heard of SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome but a Milford mom is raising awareness of a lesser-known tragedy called SUDC, Sudden Unexplained Death In Childhood. 'Conor was the happiest boy you'd ever meet, he was always smiling, he was always blowing kisses,' Dr. Erin Bowen, Conor's mom and also a pediatrician in Orange, said. But the unimaginable happened in 2016. Connecticut Families: Meet West Hartford mom and international best selling author, Amy Neff When the boy was 17 months old he had a runny nose, really nothing out of the ordinary. He went down for a nap. 'He was a healthy toddler who went to sleep and just didn't wake up,' Bowen said. This is called Sudden Unexplained Death In Childhood or SUDC. Even though she's a doctor, Bowen had never heard of this happening. Both an autopsy and genetic testing didn't yield any answers. 'It affects about 500 children annually in the United States and it's actually the 5th leading cause of death in toddlers,' Bowen explained. Through her grief, she connected with the SUDC Foundation, meeting other families with similar stories, and even heading to Washington DC to advocate for change. 'Currently there's no federal funding to support research into these deaths,' she said. Bowen gives presentations at hospitals, raising awareness and educating medical professionals about how to support families when a child dies. She also started Kisses For Conor, giving out special cards, doing random acts of kindness as a way to help her daughters cope with their loss. 'Sometimes we leave flowers in parking lots for people to find,' Bowen said. 'We leave toys in the park. Sometimes we leave bubbles because Conor loved bubbles so much.' Bowen says Conor is with her, always. 'Doing these things is kind of my way of parenting him where I can't physically parent him and it makes me feel like we're still connected every day,' she said with emotion. If you get a Kisses For Conor card, you are asked to keep his memory alive by passing along your own act of kindness. Watch an extended interview with Dr. Erin Bowen on Tuesday, March 25th at 11 a.m. on the new News 8 streaming app. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Parents advocate for child bereavement leave
BOSTON (WWLP) – Families of children who died from Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood gathered at the State House to advocate for parental bereavement leave. Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is the fifth most common cause of death in children between one and two years old. In these cases, most often a seemingly healthy child goes to sleep and never wakes up. Six Holyoke educators awarded for excellence in teaching One in 100,000 children die from SUDC, but there is no way to predict or prevent it and it does not receive any federal research funding. Advocates are working to pass a law that would allow parents to take 10 days of bereavement leave following the death of a child, regardless of their workplace's policy. Erin Bowen is a pediatrician who lost her son, Conor, when he was just 17 months old. 'Families need support from everyone, including the knowledge that their job is preserved and that they have the ability to have some time off,' said Bowen, who serves as the Vice President of the SUDC Foundation. A Westford representative is leading the charge for this bill, and he told 22News that it is simply the right thing to do. 'It's a very difficult situation, obviously, dealing with the loss of a child,' said Representative James Arciero. 'As a father myself, it's heartbreaking and unimaginable,' SUDC is not as common as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and lawmakers and advocates say a large part of their work centers on raising awareness about the issue and resources available to grieving families. Affected parents said they are advocating for this goal now, during Sudden Death in Childhood Awareness Month, to ease other parents' pain should they lose a child. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
