What Is Shaken Baby Syndrome?

 

Shaken Bay Syndrome a serious brain injury which occurs when a caregiver “shakes” a child and/or “slams” a child against a hard object, usually to stop them from crying or because the child is not responding to the expectations or desires of the caregiver.

 

Shaken Baby Syndrome is a serious and violent form of child abuse.

 

Shaken Bay Syndrome is a form of physical abuse and also contains emotional abuse

 

Symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome

          •mild forms of “flu like symptoms”

            •allergies

            •irritability

            •poor feeding

            •vomiting

            •lethargic (appearing to be very tired)

            •vacant eyes stares

 

more serious symptoms usually leading to death

 

       •breathing difficulties

        •seizures

            •coma

 

What happens to children who are shaken?

 

       •25-30% of victims die

            •remaining 70-75% of victims suffer from any or all of these

             disabilities

            •permanent brain damage                         •cerebral palsy

            •paralysis                                                  •seizures (epilepsy)

            •blindness                                                •deafness       

            •severe learning and behavioral problems

            •permanent vegetative state

         

What happens to the Infant/Childs brain when shaking occurs?

 

      • retinal hemorrhages               •intracranial bleeding  

•subdural hemorrhages          • barachnoid hemorrhages    

and other accompanying evidence

            •skull fractures                        •rib fractures            •bruising, usually on the face and/or chest

        •fractures long bones (arms and legs)            •increase in head size indicating head trauma