About this topic
Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse. It happens when a baby or small child is shaken violently. This may be the result of an upset caregiver who loses control when a baby keeps crying. This can happen even with just a few seconds of shaking. The neck muscles of babies are weak. They cannot fully support their heads. Their fragile brains move back and forth. This can lead to lasting brain damage or death. Gently bouncing a child on your knee will not cause shaken baby syndrome. ‚
What are the causes?
The brain is hurt as it bounces back and forth inside of the head. This shaking causes bleeding, bruising, and swelling. These can lead to raised pressure on the brain. The baby may also be harmed if the head is hit on an object during the shaking event. ‚
What can make this more likely to happen?
Each of these raises the chance of a shaking injury: ‚
- History of domestic or child abuse
- Problem with drug or alcohol abuse
- History of stress and poor coping skills
- Having little money and an unstable family environment
- Being tired and having little social support
- Being male
- Being a parent at a young age
Children are more likely to suffer a shaking injury if they are: ‚
- Male
- Born early or have a disability
- One in a multiple birth
- Between 2 and 4 months of age, but may happen up to 5 years of age
What are the main signs?
The signs will depend on how long the baby was shaken. They will also depend on how hard the child was shaken or hit. ‚
- Change in level of being aware ¢ ˆ ’ May lose consciousness and not be alert, or be very irritable and cry all the time, may seem tired or weak
- Change in responses ¢ ˆ ’ May not be able to lift head, may be stiff, may not smile or make sounds, eyes may not focus or track, pupils may not change with light
- Throwing up and poor feeding
- Swelling
- Infant not growing or developing as expected
- Very bad problems like seizures, breathing problems, coma, or death
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
The doctor will check your child carefully. The doctor will measure your childs heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. The doctor will also check the child's eyes to see how the pupils react to light and to look for signs of bleeding. The doctor will check the rest of the body for injuries. The doctor may order: ‚
- CT or MRI scan
- X-rays to look for broken bones when abuse is suspected
- Blood tests to rule out problems that may have similar signs to shaken baby syndrome
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
Treatment depends on the how bad the problem is and what the signs are. A child with shaken baby syndrome may need help with: ‚
- Breathing
- Eating. This may be an I.V. or a feeding tube.
Are there other health problems to treat?
Many problems can happen because of shaken baby syndrome. Sometimes, problems do not show up until your child is older. Your child may have: ‚
- Problems with senses and communicating. These are things like not being able to see or hear. Your child may also have speech problems.
- Brain problems like memory or attention problems. Some children have developmental delays or learning problems.
- Nerve or muscle problems like lack of strength, paralysis, or tight muscles. This can cause your child to have problems with walking, balance, or coordination. Some children have seizures.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Treat any problems that happen such as seizures, tight muscles, and attention problems
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- NEVER shake a baby! Even a few seconds of shaking can cause lasting brain damage.
- Crying is a normal part of a childs development. If you are upset, put the child down and leave the room. Call someone to help you.
- If you feel out of control, seek help right away.
- Call a crisis hotline if you do not have anyone to help you.
Helpful tips
There are many things to try that may soothe a baby. If nothing helps, put the baby in the crib. Walk away, close the door, and check back after 10 minutes has passed. Other things to try are: ‚
- Feed your baby. Be sure to burp your baby after a feeding.
- Change your babys diaper.
- Walk or rock your baby.
- Talk or sing to the baby.
- Hold the baby close and take slow, deep breaths.
- Have the baby suck on a pacifier.
- Give the child a toy.
- Take the baby for a ride in the car or push the baby in a stroller.
- Wrap or swaddle the baby in a blanket.
- Put the baby in a baby swing or a vibrating seat.
- White noise, like the noise from a fan, vacuum, or clothes dryer, may be soothing.
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/shaken.html ‚
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome ‚
http://www.dontshake.org/sbs.php?topNavID=3&subNavID=22 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚