Shaken Baby Syndrome
By Mellissa Correia
Description:
A child with SBS may also have a damaged neck or spinal cord and could also possibly have bone fractures. The severity depends on how long and hard the child was shaken but it can also cause death.
SBS occurs to children under the age of one but can sometimes occur to kids as old as 5.
Causes:
Can also sometimes occur after direct blows to the head or dropping or throwing a child.
Generally occurs from....
[The baby wIll usually cry more and then stop crying due to damage to the brain]
- 70% of the time, the perpetrator is a male. Either the father of the child or the mother's boyfriend. Although, anyone will perform this activity if they are unable to handle stressful situations well or if they suffer from substance abuse.
Diagnosis:
Most of the time, children are never taken to the doctor which can cause future problems as the child has a higher risk of being shaken again.
Doctors will look for:
skull fractures
swelling of the brain
rib and long bone fractures
bruises around head, neck or chest
Symptoms:
irritability
vomiting
poor swallowing
cardiac arrest
decreased appetite
lack of smiling or vocalizing
seizures
difficulty breathing
blue colour due to lack of oxygen
altered consciousness
unequal pupil size
inability to life the head
inability to focus the eyes or track movement
Severe:
unconsciousness
suffering seizures or in shock
death
coma
posture in which the head is bent back and the back arched
**Children may never be brought to medical attention unless the symptoms are severe**
Treatment:
A neurosurgeon may treat bleeding and sometimes surgery is needed.
other times, a cast is applies to broken bones, cuts are stitched or bandaged.
A child with seizures may be prescribed anticonvulsant medicine
Prognosis
Cerebral palsy
Paralysis
Vision loss or blindness
Epilepsy
Seizures
Prevention
Let your baby cry alone for a while
Call someone close to help
Call a paediatrician because there may be a reason for the child's crying
Never leave your child with someone who isn't fully trusted