What is shaken baby syndrome? Does your child have shaken baby syndrome? What are the immediate signs of shaken baby syndrome?
Shaken baby syndrome destroys a child’s brain cells, which needs immediate attention from the parents. Parents and caregivers should be educated about the dangers of a shaken baby syndrome.
This article presents the symptoms and immediate signs of the shaken baby syndrome. At the end of the article, you will find the effects of shaken baby syndrome and ways to prevent shaken baby syndrome. This article gives you an overview of the diagnosis and treatment of shaken baby syndrome.
What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?
A shaken baby syndrome is a severe brain injury that results when the parents or caregivers shake the baby often forcefully out of frustration.
Babies have a weak neck which cannot support their large heads. Severe shaking leads to moving of head forward and backward violently which leads to severe brain injury. These forces may get worse if the head movement is interrupted by hitting a surface.
Shaken baby syndrome destroys brain cells resulting in the low supply of oxygen to the brain.
Can Shaken Baby Syndrome Be Caused Accidentally?
Gentle bouncing, playful swinging, or tossing the child in the air do not cause the shaken baby syndrome. It is very rare to occur from accidents such as falling off chairs or downstairs or accidentally being dropped from the caregiver’s arm.
[Read: Concussion In Babies]
What Causes Shaken Baby Syndrome?
Babies have a weak neck and often struggle to support their heavy heads. When the babies have shaken forcibly their brittle brain moves back and forth inside the skull. This causes bruising, swelling and bleeding. Babies have immature brains, which are very vulnerable to injuries. The blood vessels surrounding the brain are more prone to injuries.
The shaken baby syndrome occurs because of forcible or violent shaking by the frustrated parents or caregivers when the child won’t stop crying.
The following qualities that exist in the parents/caregivers lead to the shaken baby syndrome:
- Stress and frustration
- Lack of parenting skills You may also Read Impacts of parenting on child development
- Lack of affection with the infant
What are the Symptoms of the Shaken Baby Syndrome:
It is difficult to identify the shaken baby syndrome as there are no marks or bruises on the skin.
Here are a few symptoms of the shaken baby syndrome.
- Extreme fussiness or irritability
- Unusual sleepiness accompanied by extreme irritability
- Difficulty staying awake
- Breathing problems
- Poor eating and vomiting
- Pale or bluish skin
- Seizures
- Paralysis
- Coma
How to Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome:
The first step in preventing shaken baby syndrome is to control anger, frustration and avoid shaking the baby. Shaking infants and toddlers may have dangerous consequences on their large heads and immature brains.
Here are the few tips to prevent shaken baby syndrome:
1. Handle Crying Baby
Many parents do not understand that crying is the only way of a baby’s communication. There are many reasons for the baby to cry- hunger, need to suck, illness, teething, earache or the need for the rest.
Here are the few tips to stop the baby from crying
a. Start By Checking the Basics:
When your baby is crying, the first step is to check these basic things
- Is your baby fed?
- Is your baby wet?
- Too warm/ cold?
- Lonely?
b. Check Your Baby’s Health:
Check the baby’s temperature for fever. In case of any vomiting or diarrhea, consult the pediatrician.
c. Soothe the Baby:
Offer the baby comfort by wrapping in the warm, soft blanket. Gently rub or tap the baby’s back.
d. Walk with the Baby:
Take the baby for a walk.
e. Sing or Talk To The Baby:
Baby loves to hear your voice. Sing or talk to the baby in a soft tone.
f. Take Someone’s Help:
Call someone whom you trust the most when you are out for break/work.
2. Manage Your Stress
Your baby always needs your care and attention. Most of the parents dealing with infants often feel frustrated.
Here are the few ways that are to be practiced to keep you pleasant.
a. Walk Away:
If your frustration or stress levels reach the peaks leave the baby in a safe place like crib and walk away. Make sure to monitor the baby for every 10 minutes.
b. Exercise:
Regular exercise and physical activities will help to produce endorphins- which acts as a natural pain killer and enhances the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces the stress.
c. Take a deep Breathe:
Taking a deep breath will help to reduce your heart rate and reduces tension.
b. Allot Time For Yourself:
Taking time for yourself refreshes and re energizes you. It allows to take better decisions.
e. Smile:
Smile lowers blood pressure. It helps in reducing the body’s response to stress and anxiety and reduces heartbeat.
f. Keep Journal:
If you suffer from immense stress or anxiety, keep a journal. It can help you to gain control over your emotions and keeps your mental health safe.
Long Term Effects of Shaken Baby Syndrome:
Abusive brain trauma causes lifelong harm to the brain and sometimes leads to death.
Here are the few shaken baby syndrome risk factors
- Poor eyesight or blindness
- Hearing loss
- Delayed development
- Problems with speech, learning, memory, and focus
- A problem in moving parts of the body.
- Cerebral Palsy adversely affects muscle’s tone or posture.
- Seizure, a sudden, uncontrolled disturbance in the brain. It changes the behavior,
- movements, and the levels of consciousness.
- Learning or behavior problems that cannot be recognized until the child starts school
What Help a Child With Abusive Head Trauma Need?
After abusive head trauma child may need long term care from the health care experts.
- Before the age of 3, a child should need speech or physical therapy.
- After the age of 3, a child’s school should provide special education services.
- As the kids get older, they need special schooling which helps to build language and daily living skills.
- A child with abusive brain trauma may need the following therapies – speech-language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy.
When To See a Doctor For Shaken Baby Syndrome?
The shaken baby syndrome is hard to detect as often there is no clear evidence of abuse. Shaken baby syndrome starts with the symptoms which are very similar to that of symptoms caused by infections like- Vomiting, or poor appetite.
1. The doctor will perform various tests to check the signs of brain damage and confirm a diagnosis:
- MRI Scan
- CT Scan
- Skeletal X-Ray
- Ophthalmic exam
2. A doctor may perform tests to check the baby’s spinal fluid for any signs of injury.
3. Depending on the symptoms doctors seizure medicine, physical therapy, or other medicines.
How the Child with Shaken Baby Syndrome is be Treated?
- There is no medicine to treat the shaken baby syndrome. In severe cases, surgery is required to treat the bleeding in the brain.
- A child with shaken baby syndrome may need to stay in ICU.
- Sometimes a child with brain trauma may stop breathing, oxygen therapy may be used to help a child breathe properly.
- Sometimes, a cooling mattress is used to reduce body temperature and reduces brain swelling.
A shaken baby syndrome is a severe form of child abuse resulting from violently shaking head. It can occur as soon as 5 seconds after shaking. A shaken baby syndrome is most common in babies below 1 year of age, but it can also affect the children for up to 5 years. The shaken baby syndrome causes many long term problems and it needs immediate medical attention.
In conclusion, Love, attention, and affection are powerful tools that show a direct positive impact on a child’s physical, mental, and emotional growth. Shaking baby, on the other hand, leads to many physical and mental disabilities. Follow the simple ways mentioned in this article to prevent shaken baby syndrome and save your baby from the horrible long term effects of the shaken baby syndrome.
