Shaken Baby Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

A large part of the population has the desire to have children. Being a father or mother is a dream for many, to whom the idea of ​​raising, educating, giving affection and ultimately helping a fragile and vulnerable being to grow and see the world is exciting and motivating. Most people experience the desire to protect children.

However, some parents mistreat their children by carrying out actions such as shaking them violently when they cry continuously in order to silence them. This type of abuse can cause severe brain damage in an organism as fragile as that of a baby. This is what happens in cases of shaken baby syndrome.

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shaken baby syndrome

Shaken baby syndrome is the name given to the set of symptoms presented by babies who have been shaken (generally caused by the action of an adult) without the existence of external trauma, these symptoms being the result of an intracranial injury resulting from being shaken violently.

The shaking has the consequence of generating a brain lesion that can become very severe that

is capable of causing the death of the baby (in fact it is one of the most frequent causes of infant mortality), or sequelae of considerable severity. This syndrome tends to appear in babies less than three years of age.

Yes ok injuries can be variable, it is generally considered that there are three that present in the majority of cases of this syndrome and that allow Your diagnosis: retinal hemorrhage, encephalopathy or brain damage (such as diffuse axonal damage), and hematoma subdural. Hydrocephalus is also common.

The symptoms of these injuries can be very different depending on the areas that are damaged, but usually presents with diffuse axonal damage. It is common for the baby to start suffering from epileptic seizures, lethargy, hypotonia or loss of muscle tone, anorexia, vomiting or breathing problems. In addition to this, they can produce serious long-term sequelae.

Sequelae and symptoms

In addition to the aforementioned symptoms, the damage caused to the brain usually generates serious and permanent sequelae.

Among these sequels, the onset of intellectual disability of variable severity. It is not uncommon for cerebral palsy to appear. Sometimes autism-like symptoms, developmental delays, and language impairment may also be seen.

Also infections can arise that cause inflammation of the brain and worsen the child's condition. Likewise, it is not uncommon for sensory disabilities such as acquired blindness or deafness to also appear.

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How is it produced?

The most frequent reason for the appearance of shaken baby syndrome, the cause of shaking, is usually be the presence of crying on the part of the baby that one or more adults try to stop with violence. It is usually an unplanned abuse. In others it is carried out voluntarily and intentionally.

However, it has also been seen in some cases in which an attempt is being made to resuscitate a baby who has stopped breathing, in car accidents (for example, a whiplash even though the minor is wearing a seatbelt) and even in some disorders, similar symptoms may appear without the need for shaking (although the latter are detectable). That is why it should not be assumed that they are necessarily the product of mistreatment.

The jolts cause the encephalic mass moves violently and impacts against the walls of the skull, as well as damage to the spinal nerves as the child's neck is not strong enough to resist acceleration.

Likewise, it is considered that problems and injuries also arise due to the presence of hypoxia or decreased oxygen that reaches the cerebral regions during the jolt due to the respiratory alterations caused during it and the damage to the he brainstem.

Treatment of this syndrome

The neuronal death caused by shaken baby syndrome does not present a curative treatment. Over time some of the symptoms may lessen and in some cases a recovery is possible, but the overall prognosis is not very positive. However, a quick intervention can both save the child's life and reduce the possible sequelae.

It is important to drain extravasated blood in internal bleeding, as well as excessive cerebrospinal fluid if hydrocephalus develops. Also It is essential to decrease intracranial pressure. This can result in less waterlogged or compressed tissue.

Likewise, occupational therapy and other types of strategies can help affected children to recover functions, be stimulated or learn different Strategies that can improve their autonomy and quality of life.

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Prevention mechanisms

One of the main methods to stop the appearance of this syndrome is the establishment of preventive measures. In many cases, parents shake the baby because they don't know what causes it to cry and they don't know how to stop it.

Prevention must be done through social awareness and information about the effects (although it may seem surprising, many people do not know the damage that a shake can cause in a baby).

Try to educate through different programs like the Period of Purple Crying offered by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome can lead to the baby's crying caregivers being able to establish different Strategies such as lulling them, taking them for a walk or putting white noise on them to calm them down while learning to manage their own stress adult.

Obviously, in the event that the mistreatment was voluntary with the purpose of causing harm (such as by example product of vicarious violence) legal measures should be imposed such as the removal of the individual of the baby.