Shaken baby syndrome is a pattern of severe injuries that can occur when an adult or older child violently shakes an infant. The injuries most often involved are bleeding into the brain and the retina (the light-sensitive tissue that lines the eyeball). The syndrome can kill babies or cause permanent brain damage.
Shaken baby syndrome is difficult for doctors to diagnose. A baby who has been violently shaken may seem less alert than usual. Shaken babies also may vomit or have seizures. Eye examination may show blood in the retinas. Imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may reveal bleeding in the brain. Severely shaken babies may also have bruises, bumps, or other outward signs of head injury; damage to the neck or spinal cord; or broken bones, burns, or other signs of child abuse. Doctors suspect shaken baby syndrome when an examination fails to reveal any other likely cause of these symptoms. A caregiver who cannot or will not explain how the baby got hurt also raises suspicion.
Doctors are morally and legally obligated to report suspected cases of shaken baby syndrome to the police or to child welfare authorities. These authorities take steps to protect the baby from further abuse. Professionals seek to prevent child abuse by providing counseling and other support services to families, especially those having a high risk for abuse. Risk factors include physical or mental illness, substance abuse, high levels of stress, and isolation.
