A series of internal head injuries in a very young child, caused by being shaken violently. It can result in brain damage leading to speech and learning disabilities, paralysis, seizures and hearing loss, and may be life-threatening.
Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a type of child abuse in which a child is violently shaken while being held by the extremities or shoulders (National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome [NCSBS], 2000). The shaking, which results in a whiplash-like acceleration and deceleration of the head, causes the brain to strike the inner surface of the skull and may have severe—even fatal—consequences. The trauma may lead to the classic triad of SBS: subdural hematoma, brain swelling, and retinal hemorrhages. Bruises of the part of the body held during shaking and fractures of the long bones and of the ribs may also be seen. Crying often triggers the caretaker or guardian’s severe shaking (NCSBS, 2000).
A severe and potentially fatal form of child abuse in which the abuser violently shakes a baby. The signs of shaken baby syndrome range from subtle to severe. A shaken infant may exhibit symptoms such as poor feeding, vomiting, lethargy, or irritability. In some children, there may be telltale marks on the upper arms or whatever part of the body was grasped when the baby was shaken. Severe shaking can lead immediately to respiratory difficulty, a seizure, or loss of consciousness.
Shaken baby syndrome refers to a severe type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that occurs when an infant or young child is forcefully shaken, causing the brain to forcefully collide with the skull.