Shaken Baby Syndrome
Forceful shaking of an infant or young child by the arms, legs, chest, or shoulders can cause brain damage leading to MENTAL RETARDATION, speech and LEARNING DISABILITIES, paralysis, SEIZURES, hearing loss, and death. It may cause bleeding around the brain and eyes, resulting in blindness. A baby’s head and neck are especially vulnerable to injury because the head is so large and the neck muscles are still weak. In addition, the baby’s brain and blood vessels are very fragile and are easily damaged by whiplash motions such as shaking, jerking, and jolting.
About 50,000 cases of shaken baby syndrome occur each year in the United States; one shaken baby in four dies as a result of this abuse. Head trauma is the most frequent cause of permanent damage or death among abused infants and children, and shaking accounts for a significant number of those cases. Some studies estimate that 15 percent of children’s deaths are due to battering or shaking and an additional 15 percent are possible cases of shaking. The victims of shaken baby syndrome range in age from a few days to five years, with an average age of six to eight months.
While shaken baby abuse is not limited to any special group of people, in 65 percent to 90 percent of cases the shakers are men. In the United States adult males in their early 20s who are the baby’s father or the mother’s boyfriend are typically the shaker. Females who injure babies by shaking them are more likely to be babysitters or child-care providers than mothers.
Severe shaking often begins in response to frustration over a baby’s crying or toileting problems. The adult shaker also may be jealous of the attention which the child receives from a partner. Shaken baby syndrome is also known as abusive head trauma, shaken brain trauma, pediatric traumatic brain injury, whiplash, shaken infant syndrome, and shaken impact syndrome.
Diagnosis
Shaken baby syndrome is difficult to diagnose unless someone accurately describes what happens. Physicians often report that a child with possible shaken baby syndrome is brought for medical attention due to falls, difficulty breathing, seizures, vomiting, altered consciousness, or choking. The caregiver may report that the child was shaken to try to resuscitate it. Babies with severe or lethal shaken baby syndrome are typically brought to the hospital unconscious with a closed head injury.
To diagnose shaken baby syndrome, physicians look for bleeding in the retina of the eyes, blood in the brain, or increased head size indicating buildup of fluid in the tissues of the brain. Damage to the spinal cord and broken ribs from the baby being grasped too hard are other signs of shaken baby syndrome. Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can reveal injuries in the brain but are not regularly used because of their expense.
A milder form of this syndrome may be missed or misdiagnosed. Subtle symptoms which may be the result of shaken baby syndrome are often attributed to mild viral illnesses, feeding dysfunction, or infant colic. These include a history of poor feeding, vomiting, or flu-like symptoms with no accompanying fever or diarrhea, lethargy, and irritability over a period of time. Without early medical intervention, the child may be at risk for further damage or even death, depending on the continued occurrences of shaking.
Treatment
The treatment of babies who survive can be divided into three major categories: medical, behavioral, and educational. In addition to medical care, children may need speech and language therapy, vision therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and special education services. Some may need the assistance of feeding experts and behavioral consultants.
Prognosis
Immediate medical attention can help reduce the impact of shaking, but many children are left with permanent damage. Fewer than 10 to 15 percent of shaken babies recover completely; the rest have a variety of disabilities, including partial or complete loss of vision, hearing problems, seizure disorders, CEREBRAL PALSY, sucking and swallowing disorders, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AUTISM, cognitive or behavior problems, or a permanent vegetative state.
About 50,000 cases of shaken baby syndrome occur each year in the United States; one shaken baby in four dies as a result of this abuse. Head trauma is the most frequent cause of permanent damage or death among abused infants and children, and shaking accounts for a significant number of those cases. Some studies estimate that 15 percent of children’s deaths are due to battering or shaking and an additional 15 percent are possible cases of shaking. The victims of shaken baby syndrome range in age from a few days to five years, with an average age of six to eight months.
While shaken baby abuse is not limited to any special group of people, in 65 percent to 90 percent of cases the shakers are men. In the United States adult males in their early 20s who are the baby’s father or the mother’s boyfriend are typically the shaker. Females who injure babies by shaking them are more likely to be babysitters or child-care providers than mothers.
Severe shaking often begins in response to frustration over a baby’s crying or toileting problems. The adult shaker also may be jealous of the attention which the child receives from a partner. Shaken baby syndrome is also known as abusive head trauma, shaken brain trauma, pediatric traumatic brain injury, whiplash, shaken infant syndrome, and shaken impact syndrome.
Diagnosis
Shaken baby syndrome is difficult to diagnose unless someone accurately describes what happens. Physicians often report that a child with possible shaken baby syndrome is brought for medical attention due to falls, difficulty breathing, seizures, vomiting, altered consciousness, or choking. The caregiver may report that the child was shaken to try to resuscitate it. Babies with severe or lethal shaken baby syndrome are typically brought to the hospital unconscious with a closed head injury.
To diagnose shaken baby syndrome, physicians look for bleeding in the retina of the eyes, blood in the brain, or increased head size indicating buildup of fluid in the tissues of the brain. Damage to the spinal cord and broken ribs from the baby being grasped too hard are other signs of shaken baby syndrome. Computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can reveal injuries in the brain but are not regularly used because of their expense.
A milder form of this syndrome may be missed or misdiagnosed. Subtle symptoms which may be the result of shaken baby syndrome are often attributed to mild viral illnesses, feeding dysfunction, or infant colic. These include a history of poor feeding, vomiting, or flu-like symptoms with no accompanying fever or diarrhea, lethargy, and irritability over a period of time. Without early medical intervention, the child may be at risk for further damage or even death, depending on the continued occurrences of shaking.
Treatment
The treatment of babies who survive can be divided into three major categories: medical, behavioral, and educational. In addition to medical care, children may need speech and language therapy, vision therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and special education services. Some may need the assistance of feeding experts and behavioral consultants.
Prognosis
Immediate medical attention can help reduce the impact of shaking, but many children are left with permanent damage. Fewer than 10 to 15 percent of shaken babies recover completely; the rest have a variety of disabilities, including partial or complete loss of vision, hearing problems, seizure disorders, CEREBRAL PALSY, sucking and swallowing disorders, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AUTISM, cognitive or behavior problems, or a permanent vegetative state.
Tags: brain damage, Forceful shaking, hearing loss, MENTAL RETARDATION, paralysis, seizures, Shaken Baby Syndrome, speech and LEARNING DISABILITIES
Posted in Health and Wellness
