Shaken Baby Syndrome

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Shaken Baby Syndrome
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Shaken baby syndrome is

• Shaken Baby Syndrome- Is a form of child abuse
  that is thought to occur when an abuser violently
  shakes an infant or small child, creating a
  whiplash-type motion that causes
  acceleration-deceleration injuries.
• A serious brain injury
• Occurs when a baby is slammed against a hard
  object

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• Shaking is usually done out of frustration or
  anger
• Shaking must be of such force that an independent
  observer would recognize the act as dangerous
• A babies brain and the blood vessels connecting
  the skull to the brain are fragile and immature
• When a baby is shaken, the brain ricochets about
  their skull, causing the blood vessels to tear
  away and blood to pool inside their skull causing
  irreparable damage to the brain

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• SBS also called shaken impact syndrome and
  non-accidental head injury.
• Can occur in children up to five years old, but
  in most cases the child is under one years old.
• SBS, is a major cause of mortality in infants, is
  often fatal and can produce lifelong disability
  from neurological damage.
• Leading cause of injury in children under four
  years of age

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• 50 of deaths related to child abuse are related
  to SBS.
• About 25 to 30 of infant victims with SBS die
  from their injuries.

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Child Risk Factors

• Small children are especially vulnerable to this
  type of abuse. Their heads are larger in
  comparison to their bodies.
• Children under one years of age are at the
  highest risk.
• Children who are sick, teething, or toilet
  training
• Children who already have disabilities

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Parental Risk Factors

• Young parental age
• Unstable family environment
• Low socioeconomic status
• Unrealistic child-rearing expectations
• Rigid attitudes and impulsivity
• Feelings of inadequacy, isolation, or depression
• Negative childhood experiences including neglect
  or abuse

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Some Statistics

• One shaken baby in four dies
• Some studies estimate that 15 of childrens
  deaths are due to battering or shaking, and an
  additional 15 are possible cases of shaking.
• Of the 37 children that died in Florida in
  1995-96 13 died from a combination of SBS/Head
  Trauma

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• Of the thousands that survive death, serious
  injury usually occurs.
• More than 60 of the victims of SBS are male
• Almost 80 of the perpetrators of SBS are male,
  usually the biological father or boyfriend to the
  mother

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Whos Watching The Baby

• 50 of Offenders are Natural Parents
• 17 are non- relatives
• 17 are mothers boyfriend
• 6 are step parents
• 10 are other

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Signs and symptoms

• Head turned to one side
• Unable to lift or turn head
• Pinpointed, dilated, or unequal pupil size
• Blood pooling in eyes
• Pupils unresponsive to light
• Bulging or spongy forehead
• No smiling or vocalization

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• Poor sucking or swallowing
• Rigidity
• Semi-consciousness, lethargy, or decreased muscle
  tone
• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures and spasms
• Swollen head, which may appear later
• Poor feeding or eating

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• Cardiopulmonary arrest
• Vomiting
• Failure to thrive
• Pale or bluish skin
• Irritability
• Coma

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Diagnosis

• The basis for the diagnosis of inflicted injury
  is a physical exam that conflicts with the
  explanation from parents as to what happened
• The following should alert health care providers
  to the possibility of SBS
• Any infant or child who presents with a history
  that is not plausible or consistent

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• The presence of a new adult partner in the home
• A history of delay in seeking medical attention
• A previous history or suspicion of abuse
• The absence of a primary caretaker at the onset
  of injury or illness
• Physical evidence of multiple injuries at varying
  stages of healing
• Unexplained changes in neurologic status

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Prognosis

• Retinal hemorrhages
• Petechiae on the body or face
• Multiple fractures of the long bones
• Subdural hematomas
• Learning disabilities
• Seizure disorders
• Speech disability
• Hyrocephalus

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• Behavioral problems
• Cerebral palsy
• Visual disorders
• DEATH

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Prevention

• The only way to avoid SBS is to use common sense
  and keep a close eye on your child for the first
  two years of life
• Meet basic needs of baby
• Feed
• Burp
• Change
• Clothing not to tight
• Not to hot or cold
• ASK FOR HELP