Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevalence, Causes, and Prevention Measures

Shaken Infant Syndrome

Shaken infant syndrome is regarded as one of the most severe head injury traumas that children can suffer (King et al., 2003). Its global frequency is high, and as child abuse, it has piqued the interest of public health specialists and psychologists.

Causes and Effects

The child’s brain cells are damaged as a result of shaken infant syndrome, and the brain does not receive enough oxygen. It is considered child abuse since it can cause lasting brain damage or even death in extreme circumstances. Nonetheless, this illness is preventable, and caregivers who are at danger of harming their newborns should get advice on how to do so. Shaken baby syndrome is caused by another individual when they bounce the baby or hit the child by a hard substance like hitting the head of the baby against the wall. In fact, it can occur even from just five seconds of shaking. With the seriousness and prevalence of this syndrome, the paper will explain the risk factors, relevant statistics, and even prevention measures.

Risk Factors and Vulnerable Age Groups

The shaking baby problem is prevalent among children below two years and the younger the child, the higher the risk but it can also occur up to age five. Babies this age have weak neck muscles, and soft brains and any form of shaking can cause their brain the inner parts of the skull. This impact then bruises the brain, triggers its bleeding and also swelling. Other injuries that can result from the shaking are damaged spine, broken bones or the neck. Babies before one to two months are at the highest risk since they tend to cry a lot and therefore a high tendency towards shaking them to stop the crying. Notably, bouncing the baby on the laps will not cause the syndrome but one that occurs out of frustration or anger that is vigorous. Shaking baby syndrome can result from just shaking or shaking with an impact.

Prevalence and Public Health Awareness

Shaking baby syndrome is a crime as well as a public health issue since it is a prominent cause of child abuse deaths in the United States of America. Almost all victims of SBS suffer serious health complications and about 25% end up succumbing to the injury (CDC 2012). It is with that understanding that the public health professionals have taken the responsibility of creating awareness regarding the dangers of violently shaking the baby. Caregivers are educated on risk factors and ways of addressing predisposing factors that can result in vigorously shaking the baby. In fact, every person is a target in the public awareness since each person has something they do to prevent the occurrence of SBS.

Symptoms and Long-term Effects

The major symptoms of shaking baby syndrome range from mild ones to severe ones. In some situations no physical signs are present since the damage is internal. In mild SBS, babies exhibit seizures or convulsions, changed sleeping patterns, inability to be consoled, refusal to eat or to be nursed, irritability, vomiting and uncontrolled crying (CDC 2012). A combination of several of these factors should make the caregiver seek medical attention as soon as possible. When the shaking baby syndrome is severe, the child exhibits unconsciousness, irresponsiveness, no pulse, irregular breathing or no breathing at all. When not addressed, SBS can result in blindness, death, cerebral palsy or seizures. Additionally, it can result in developmental delays in significant and noticeable lags either behavioral, emotional, physical, social or cognitive compared to what would be regarded as standard. Those babies can also exhibit mental retardation and learning disabilities which is mostly seen when they start schooling. Sadly, shaking baby syndrome can also lead to severe metal dysfunction where some muscles suffer paralysis or general weakness. Alternatively, the toddler may suffer from spasticity which is a condition associated with muscle contractions leading to tightness or stiffness and thus impairing speech, movement, or manner of walking (Miehl 2005). Such creates dependency since the toddler may need assistance in time of muscle stiffness and tightness.

Unreported Cases and Caregiver Stress

Because this syndrome is a crime, most cases go unreported in the United States, and they are unplanned given that sometimes the caregiver gets overwhelmed emotionally by the uncontrollable crying of the baby. However, a study in California suggested that about three to four children suffer a fatal head injury in the United States. However, this number mostly includes babies below one year who cry frequently and are easier to shake compared to older ones. Some adults take their children to hospitals after detecting the common symptoms and claim that they were just playing with the baby and the injury happened. However, that is far from the truth given that this internal damage would be compared to the one an adult gets when they have repeated car crashes as highlighted by Miehl (2005).

Caregiver Triggers and Support Systems

This shaking does not just occur but it is mostly triggered by the irritable crying of the baby that won’t stop. The caregiver then gets so frustrated that they do anything within their power to end the crying including shaking. Biological fathers, stepfathers, mother’s boyfriend account for the highest cases of shaking baby syndrome followed by the biological mothers. Alexander et al. (2009) suggest that in most situations the SBS is not the first occurrence of physical abuse to the baby but ones that occur after other cases of physical abuse. Sometimes one may wonder how a caregiver can react so poorly that they compromise the health and the well-being of the baby. However, taking care of the baby at that very young stage can result in exhaustion of the caregivers like constant feeding, crying and night changing diapers. Apparently, most new parents are unprepared for the realities of bringing up a baby and the stress that occur. The social stressors and work-related stress all combined can result in aggravation and violent behavior of the parent towards the baby. Additionally, because of the unpredictable feeding and sleeping patterns of the baby and the life demands of the parent to work, the parents can find themselves sleep deprived which increases the inability to manage stressful situations. The unfortunate bit is that most people are uninformed regarding the crying patterns of babies so that they can prepare psychologically for this and avoid the occurrence of uncontrolled emotions of anger. For instance, in normal babies, crying increases in the second and third week of age and is climaxed in week 6 through eight then reduces and usually ends in the fourth month of growth (St. James-Robert 2004). Proper understanding that crying is normal and not a problem helps caregivers respond appropriately and sometimes letting the babies cry. Additionally, some parents feel obliged to stop their babies from crying, and when they do not, they may feel as incompetent parents. Such pressure has caused the lives and health of many children.

Additional Triggers and Conclusion

Apart from crying and issues related to the baby being critical triggers to shaking baby syndrome, other triggers are also prevalent in the United States. For example, new mothers may have unrealistic expectations about the development of the toddler and the rearing responsibility (Hoffman 2005). Others have generalized information and preconceived notion that they expect their children to conform like comparing a baby with their other children. Additionally, parents who suffered child abuse or were neglected as children are more likely to shake their babies in anger than those who were not as noted by Black, Heyman, and Slep (2001). The family unit of a healthy marriage including a father and a mother reduces the chances of shaking baby syndrome. However, in situations where the caregiver has suffered or witnessed domestic violence shaking baby syndrome is probable. Single parents are also causal factors to shaking baby syndrome.

In conclusion, shaking baby syndrome is a leading cause of death in toddlers in the US and is mainly triggered by the excessive crying of babies. Babies below the age of one year are at a higher risk since they are lighter and tend to cry more. Caregivers and parents who suffered neglect, experienced or witnessed domestic violence or are single parents are at a higher risk of causing shaking baby syndrome than their counterparts. The best way to prevent shaking baby syndrome is by creating awareness, especially to new parents, about realistic expectations in a child’s development. Also, new parents need a reliable support system that can offer emotional support during those difficult times of exhaustion in rearing the baby. Otherwise, if such steps are not taken to prepare new mothers, SBS will continue endangering the lives of toddlers.

References

Alexander, R., Crabbe, L., Sato, Y., Smith, W., & Bennett, T. (2009). Serial abuse in children who are shaken. American Journal of Diseases of Children, 144(1), 58-60.

Black, D. A., Heyman, R. E., & Slep, A. M. S. (2001). Risk factors for child physical abuse. Aggression and violent behavior, 6(2), 121-188.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). A Journalist’s Guide to Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Preventable Tragedy. CDC.

Hoffman, J. M. (2005). A case of shaken baby syndrome after discharge from the newborn intensive care unit. Advances in Neonatal Care, 5(3), 135-146.

King, W. J., MacKay, M., Sirnick, A., & Canadian Shaken Baby Study Group. (2003). Shaken baby syndrome in Canada: clinical characteristics and outcomes of hospital cases. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 168(2), 155-159.

Miehl, N. J. (2005). Shaken baby syndrome. Journal of forensic nursing, 1(3), 111-117.

St James-Robert, I. (2004). Effective services for managing infant crying disorders and their impact on the social and emotional development of young children. Tremblay RE, Barr RG, Peters RDeV, eds. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, 1-6.