Shaken Baby Syndrome

Approximately 1200-1400 cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are reported in the United States each year. Shaken Baby Syndrome is a very serious condition that requires prompt medical attention. Most cases are seen in children under the age of 2, but there have been cases in preschool aged children as well.

What exactly is Shakenn Baby Syndrome? When someone violently shakes a baby or young child and causes traumatic brain injury, this is known as Shaken Baby Syndrome. Because a baby does not have strong neck muscles and their heads are large and heavy, they can not control the violent movements of being shaken. When a baby is shaken, it causes their fragile brains to bounce back and forth. This will cause bruising, swelling and bleeding. Shaking a baby can cause severe brain damage that is not reversible and even death. Most babies that suffer from Shaken Baby Syndrome suffer bleeding in the brain, bleeding in the retinas, spinal cord and neck damage and fractures to other bones in the body.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome may not be immediately noticeable. Because of this, the child may suffer longer and the person responsible for hurting the child may go unnoticed. When symptoms do become apparent, the baby usually is very irritable, lethargic, does not want to eat, has trouble breathing, may suffer from convulsions or vomit and may become pale or blue in skin tone.

When a child has been shaken, it is critical that emergency treatment be rendered. Respiratory support and brain scans should be performed to see what type of damage was done when the child was shaken. Surgery is often needed to stop bleeding in the brain and if there are any other broken bones, they will be fixed. Most babies that are severly shaken have lifelong medical issues that require care. If a child survives the severe shaking, they will most likely have neurological and mental disabilities and/or blindness.

It is very important that you NEVER shake a baby. If your baby is upsetting you, place them in a safe place and walk out of the room. Take a few minutes to calm down and call help if you feel like harming your baby. Shaking a baby will not make them stop crying, it will only causes further problems. Educate yourself and others that care for young children about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome. It is up to all of us to protect the young babies that are too small to help themselves!