What is shaken baby syndrome (SBS)?
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Healthwise answered:Shaken baby syndrome (also called intentional head injury or abusive head trauma) is brain damage that occurs when a baby is shaken, slammed, or thrown against an object. It is a form of child abuse that occurs when the baby's caregiver loses control.
Shaking a baby or striking a baby's head is always dangerous. Babies' heads are large in relation to their bodies, and their neck muscles are not well developed. If a baby is forcefully shaken, slammed, or thrown, his or her head will jerk back and forth uncontrollably. The child’s skull can hit the brain with force. When the inside of the skull forcefully strikes the brain, it can cause:
- Bruising, swelling, or tearing of the brain tissue. Brain injury and bleeding can cause increased pressure in the brain, which can lead to serious, permanent brain damage.
- Damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye, which may cause bleeding inside the eye (retinal hemorrhage), vision problems, or blindness.
- Death.
Shaken baby syndrome (also called intentional head injury or abusive head trauma) is brain damage that occurs when a baby is shaken, slammed, or thrown against an object. It is a form of child abuse that occurs when the baby's caregiver loses... More -
Riverside Center for Neurosciences answered:Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a type of inflicted traumatic brain injury that happens when a baby is violently shaken. A baby has weak neck muscles and a large, heavy head. Shaking makes the fragile 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 characteristic injuries of SBS are subdural hemorrhages (bleeding in the brain), retinal hemorrhages (bleeding in the retina), damage to the spinal cord and neck, and fractures of the ribs and bones. These injuries may, however, not be immediately noticeable. Symptoms of SBS include extreme irritability, lethargy, poor feeding, breathing problems, convulsions, vomiting, and pale or bluish skin. Shaken baby injuries usually occur in children younger than two years of age, but may be seen in children up to the age of five.
This Answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a type of inflicted traumatic brain injury that happens when a baby is violently shaken. A baby has weak neck muscles and a large, heavy head. Shaking makes the fragile brain bounce back and forth inside the skull and... More
