Cot death is the sudden and unexpected death of a baby for no obvious reason.
Cot death can occur at any time of the year, in any place and in any family.
In a small number of cot deaths the post mortem examination reveals an unsuspected abnormality, rare disease, or rapid overwhelming infection which explains why the baby died. For other babies, the death is more difficult to explain. Evidence of a mild infection may be found in some babies which may be mentioned on the death certificate. It is puzzling that some babies die with a mild infection while others recover. Research has led to the view that cot death is seldom due to a single cause.