Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Closer Look

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Shaken Baby Syndrome is a type of inflicted traumatic brain injury that happens when a baby is violently shaken. It is a form of inflicted brain trauma. The average age for victims is between three and eight months, although cases have been documented up to the age of four years old. The perpetrators are almost always parents or caregivers who shake the baby out of frustration. The victims usually cry out of fear at first but they eventually stop crying because of the inflicted brain damage.

Shaking makes the brain bounce back and forth inside the skull and causes bruising, swelling and bleeding, which can lead to permanent severe brain damage or death. The brain damage is irreversible. The death rate is almost half for all babies involved. Children who may survive have:

• partial or total blindness
• seizures
• hearing loss
• developmental delays
• speech and learning difficulties
• problems with memory and attention
• severe mental retardation
• paralysis

It is important to note the first sign of a problem isn’t noticed until the victim has entered the school system and they exhibit learning problems or learning difficulties.

In the most severe cases, the victim may be unconscious, seizing or in shock upon admission to a hospital. If the symptoms are less severe, they may never be brought to medical professionals. These children may experience:

• inability to lift their head
• inability to focus their eyes or track movement
• unequal pupil size
• difficulty breathing
• lethargy
• irritability
• vomiting
• poor sucking or swallowing
• decreased appetite
• lack of smiling or vocalizing

Often the caregivers who do seek medical care for the victim do not provide a history. This can then result in a misdiagnosis and lead to a child missing out on treatment or therapies that would help them function at a higher level. Not to mention the risk of that child being harmed again.

Once a health care practioner suspects Shaken Baby Syndrome, they should look for:

• hemorrhages in the retinas of the eyes
• skull fractures
• swelling of the brain
• subdural hematomas
• rib and long bone fractures
• bruises around the head, neck or chest

Shaken Baby Syndrome is an overwhelming condition because it is not only a total brain injury, but the immature brain has few developed capacities and therefore an inherent deficit in regards to adaptive abilities. Furthermore, the development of language, vision, balance and motor coordination are all likely to be affected in any child who has suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome. This is why early recognition, diagnosis and social services involvement is so important. The earlier therapies can be initiated (such as speech, occupational, development and physical) to better the chance a child will be able to develop skills that they would have been able to develop on their own had the injury not occurred.

Please contact us for more information regarding how our consulting services will be of assistance to you on cases that involve maltreatment to children. Some of our services can include:

• Medical Chronology Reports
• Medical Record Summary
• Expert Witness Identification and Location
• Medical Research

Reference Used:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: NINDS Shaken Baby Syndrome Page (January 2006). Retrieved October 2006 from www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shakenbaby

Pelosi, Vincent J MD, MS (reviewer) Shaken Baby/Shaken Impact Syndrome (2004). Retrieved October 2006 from www.kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/shaken.html

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