The traumatic brain damage that can occur when newborns are shaken severely can occasionally end in death. Some injuries can cause major developmental issues.
Who would ever hurt a little child? It seems impossible, don’t you think? Babies, however, are so delicate and little that even an unintended shake might harm them. It can occasionally be done on purpose, in which case it might constitute child abuse. Although it may seem unimportant, the disorder is marked by severe brain trauma. Within just five to ten minutes of intense shaking, it can cause fatal damage, making it a deadly type of child abuse.
Who would ever hurt a little child? It seems impossible, don’t you think? Babies, however, are so delicate and little that even an unintended shake might harm them. It can occasionally be done on purpose, in which case it might constitute child abuse. Although it may seem unimportant, the disorder is marked by severe brain trauma. Within just five to ten minutes of intense shaking, it can cause fatal damage, making it a deadly type of child abuse.
Baby Shaken Syndrome
A newborn is said to be shaken when its carer violently swings their head back and forth, which can have serious clinical consequences including haemorrhage. Although this aggression often damages internal organs, it may not result in any outward wounds. Brain damage are also linked to repeated acceleration and deceleration brought on by shaking. According to research, a typical behaviour that precedes the shaken infant syndrome is a healthy baby’s prolonged wailing.
Although it can afflict infants as young as five years old, the condition is more prevalent in those under the age of two. These kids have weak neck muscles and delicate brains. When someone is aggressively shaken, their brain can collide with their skull, which might cause immediate bruising.
Is It Usually On Purpose?
According to studies, fun activities with a newborn, such as bouncing them or giving them a short throw in the air, do not result in the condition. Only when the baby was violently shaken have there been major injuries. When a baby cries for a long time, it can be challenging for the carer to understand exactly what the child needs. While most parents are able to handle the constant fussing without becoming unwell, there are a few rare cases where unstable family circumstances, a carer who suffers from a mental illness like depression, or a parent who uses drugs may lead to parents who lack self control and situations like these.
Shaken-Baby Syndrome Signs
Sometimes the abusive carers may show up to the medical facility and claim that the infant may have slipped out of their hands inadvertently, went blue, and became semi-conscious. Frequently, the situation might be the opposite; the carers may have aggressively shook the child. The young person may display some of the symptoms listed below:
- having trouble staying up
- body trembling
- difficulty breathing
- bad eating
- vomiting
- skin coloration
- seizures
- coma
- paralysis
