4. INTRODUCTION
Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse
that causes severe brain damage.
It can result from as little as five seconds of shaking. Babies have
soft brains and weak neck muscles.
They also have delicate blood vessels.
Shaking a baby or young child can cause their brain to repeatedly
hit the inside of the skull.
5. DEFINITION
Shaken Baby Syndrome (also known
as Shaken Impact Syndrome) is a serious form of abuse inflicted
upon a child. It usually occurs when a parent or other
caregiver shakes a baby out of anger or frustration, often because
the baby will not stop crying.
6. INCIDENCE
These injuries can occur in children up to 5 years of age.
The perpetrator is usually a caregiver or parent, with 65% to 90%
being male.
The National Center for Shaken Baby Syndrome estimates that
each year between 1200 to 1400 children are injured or killed by
abusive head injuries annually in the United States.
7. CAUSES
Unrealistic expectations of babies.
Young or single parenthood.
Stress.
Domestic violence.
Alcohol or substance abuse.
9. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Babies have weak neck muscles and often struggle to support their
heavy heads.
If a baby is forcefully shaken, his or her fragile brain moves back
and forth inside the skull.
This causes bruising, swelling and bleeding.
10. CLINICAL MANIFESTATION
Altered level of consciousness
Drowsiness accompanied by irritability
Coma
Convulsions or seizures
Dilated pupils that do not respond to light
Decreased appetite
11. CONT..
Vomiting
Posture in which the head is bent back and the back arched
Breathing problems and irregularities
Abnormally slow and shallow respiration
Cardiac arrest
Death
12. DIAGNOSTIC EVALUATION
Shaken baby syndrome can be hard to detect because often there
aren't clear signs of abuse.
CT scan
MRI to look for bleeding or other injury in the brain.
X-rays to check for broken bones
13. COMPLICATIONS
Survivors of shaken baby syndrome may require lifelong medical
care for conditions such as:
Partial or total blindness
Developmental delays, learning problems or behavior issues
Intellectual disability
Seizure disorders
Cerebral palsy
14. PREVENTION
The following tips may help prevent abuse:
Take a deep breath and count to 10
Take time out and let the baby cry alone
Call someone for emotional support
Call a pediatrician – there may be a medical reason why the baby is
crying
15. CONT..
Never leave a baby with a caregiver, friend or family member in
whom there is not complete trust
Always check references carefully before entrusting a baby to a
caregiver or daycare center
16. PROGNOSIS
Typically, surviving babies with this syndrome may develop any of
the following disabilities:
Cerebral palsy
Paralysis
Vision loss or blindness
Mental retardation
Epilepsy
Seizures