ABUSIVE HEAD TRAUMA (Shaken Baby Syndrome)

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ABUSIVE HEAD TRAUMA (Shaken Baby Syndrome)

• INFORMATION AND PREVENTION

April 2009
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Training Objectives

• Define Abusive Head Trauma/Inflicted Traumatic
  Brain Injury (Shaken Baby Syndrome).
• Identify the results of Abusive Head Trauma
  (AHT).
• Recognize the signs and symptoms of Abusive Head
  Trauma.
• Identify ways to prevent Abusive Head Trauma and
  be able to apply them.

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What is Abusive Head Trauma (AHT)?

• Abusive Head Trauma, also known as Shaken Baby
  Syndrome, involves the violent shaking or shaking
  and impacting the head of an infant or young
  child, usually under 4-years old. These children,
  especially babies, have very weak neck muscles
  and do not have support for their heavy heads.

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• When children are shaken, their brains move back
  and forth within their skulls. Abusive Head
  Trauma (AHT), causes destruction of brain cells
  and causes swelling of the brain. Extensive
  retinal hemorrhages in one or both eyes are found
  in a majority of the cases. Fractures of long
  bones and/or ribs can also be caused by AHT.

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• The triggering event for shaking is most always
  the babys uncontrollable crying and loss of
  control by the caregiver. Parents or caregivers
  may feel that shaking a baby is a harmless way to
  make a child stop crying. According to Prevent
  Child Abuse America, 25-50 of parents and
  caretakers are not aware of the effects of
  shaking a baby.

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What Are the Results of AHT?

• Blindness or eye damage
• Delay in normal development
• Damage to the spinal cord (paralysis)
• Brain damage
• Coma
• Hearing loss
• Severe mental retardation
• Death

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What are the Signs and Symptoms of AHT?

• According to the National Center on Shaken Baby
  Syndrome, these are common symptoms of a child
  that has been shaken
• Lethargy/Decreased muscle tone
• Extreme irritability
• Difficulty breathing

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• Decreased appetite
• Vomiting
• No smiling or vocalization
• Poor sucking or swallowing
• Rigidity or posturing
• Seizures
• Inability to lift head

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• Inability to focus or track movement with eyes or
  unequal size of pupils
• Head or forehead appears larger than normal or
  soft-spot on head appears to be bulging

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How Common is AHT in Missouri?

• In the United States, AHT is the second most
  common cause of death due to trauma in children,
  and the cause of more than 95 of serious head
  injuries in infants less than one year of age.
• Of the 27 Missouri children who died from
  inflicted injury at the hands of a parent or
  caretaker in 2007, 16 (53) were victims of AHT
  (or inflicted traumatic brain injury), commonly
  known as Shaken Baby Syndrome.

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• Research has shown that 60-70 of perpetrators of
  AHT are male. In 2007, perpetrators of AHT
  included six birth fathers, five mothers
  boyfriends, three child care providers, one
  friend of the mother, and in one case, both the
  birth mother and her boyfriend abused the infant.

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• In 2007, a six-month-old was left in the care of
  his mothers boyfriend. He became frustrated with
  the infants crying and shook him, resulting in a
  traumatic brain injury.

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• In 2007, a four-month old was left with a child
  care provider, who was caring for several
  children in her home. The infant was found
  unresponsive and taken to a hospital where he was
  found to be suffering from a traumatic brain
  injury. The babysitter later admitted to hitting
  the childs head against a changing table.

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What Can Parents and Caregivers Do to Prevent
AHT?

• When a baby is crying, the American Academy of
  Pediatrics suggests the following
• Take a deep breath and count to 10.
• Take time out and let your baby cry alone.
• Call someone close to you for emotional support.
• Call your pediatrician. There may be a medical
  reason why your child is crying.

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• Other Suggestions
• Rock or walk with the baby.
• Sing or talk to the baby.
• Offer the baby a pacifier or noisy toy.
• Take the baby for a ride in a stroller.
• Put the baby into a child safety seat in the car
  and go for a ride.

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When a Baby Cries, Have a Plan

• Stop.
• Take a break. Lay your baby down on its back in
  a safe place.
• Sit down or leave the room.
• Count to 10 or more.
• Talk to another adult. Call a friend for help.
• Call your doctor.
• (Source The Childrens Trust Fund and the
  Greater St. Louis Child Fatality Prevention
  Coalitions Never Shake a Baby brochure)

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For More Information, Visit These Additional
Websites

• The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome,
  www.dontshake.org
• American Academy of Pediatrics,
  http//www.aap.org/publiced/BR_ShakenBaby.htm
• Kids Health, www.kidshealth.org/parent/medical/bra
  in/shaken.html

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• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and
  Stroke, http//www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shakenb
  aby/shakenbaby.htm
• Epilepsy Association of Central Florida,
  http//aboutshakenbaby.com/
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior
  Services, http//www.dhss.mo.gov/ShakenBabySyndrom
  e/
• Missouri Childrens Trust Fund (has both
  brochures and videos available), www.ctf4kids.org

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Missouri Department of Social Services State
Technical Assistance Team

• Address
• PO Box 208Jefferson City, MO 65102-0208
• Telephone [phone](800) 487-1626(8 a.m.
  to 5 p.m. CST, Monday Friday)
• Email
•  dls.stat_at_dss.mo.gov