SBS can happen when an adult or older child violently shakes an infant or young child.
The baby’s brain moves back and forth inside the skull, tearing blood vessels and causing blood to pool inside the skull.
Shaking can cause brain injury, cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing loss, learning & behavior problems, seizures, paralysis, and death.
Who are the perpetrators of SBS?
In most cases, the person who shakes a baby is male, usually the mother’s boyfriend, or the baby’s father.
In a smaller number of cases, a paid caregiver or babysitter is responsible for shaking a baby.
In some cases, the baby’s mother is the perpetrator.
Why would someone shake a baby?
Most adults who admit to shaking a baby say they became frustrated and upset when the baby would not stop crying.
Personal issues such as money or problems at work or in relationships can also make a caregiver frustrated enough to shake a child.
Most perpetrators of SBS did not mean to hurt the child, and did not realize that their actions could have this effect.
What if your baby will not stop crying?
Make sure all of your baby’s basic needs are met. Is she/he…
Hungry?
Too hot or too cold?
Sick or feverish?
Needing a diaper change?
If your baby is still crying…
Gently rock your baby
Touch your baby- skin to skin contact will help to soothe and relax both of you
Run a vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, or make some other white noise
While sitting, lay your baby face down across your knees and gently pat or rub their back
Play soft music, sing, or hum to your baby
Take your baby for a ride in the stroller
Swaddle your baby in a soft blanket.
If you become frustrated with your baby’s behavior…
If you have tried to soothe your baby but she is still crying, it is okay to put the baby down in a safe place and take a short break
Spend 5-10 minutes reading, listening to music, exercising, or talking to a friend
Check on the baby after a few minutes- once you feel relaxed you can try again to stop your baby’s crying
Potential Consequences of SBS:
Auditory impairments & deafness
Behavioral Disorders
Broken/fractured ribs
Cerebral Palsy
Convulsions/Seizures
Death
Developmental Delays
Emotional Impairment
Mental Retardation
Paralysis
Rigidity or Posturing
Severe Motor Dysfunction
Visual impairments and blindness (retinal hemorrhages)
Signs & Symptoms of Shaking Immediate signs of Severe Shaking
Absence of response to stimulation
Lethargy
Convulsions
Inability to make sounds
Inability to track movement visually
Difficulty breathing
Blue looking or dusk skin tone
Unconsciousness
Vomiting
Crying quieted to whimpering due to brain damage
Rolling eyes
Less- Severe Shaking
An unusual or unexplained change in sleeping pattern
Confusion, restlessness, or agitation
Absence of energy or motivation
Slurred speech
Uncontrollable crying
Unexplained inability to be consoled
Unexplained inability to nurse or eat
If you think, a baby may have been shaken…
Call 911 right away! Emergency medical care could prevent permanent brain damage, or even save the baby’s life.
Remember
Shaken Baby Syndrome is 100% preventable
Every child that is shaken is a life that is lost, whether to death or to significant long-term disabilities. SBS has tremendous physical, emotional, medical and economic impact.
Education works: One study demonstrated a 57% decreased incidence of SBS over 3 years when parents received education post-partum.
For more information, check out the website for the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome www.dontshake.com.
The Exchange Club Family Skills Center
2300 10th Court South
Birmingham, AL 35205
(205) 801-5151 | (205) 801-6040 Fax info@ecfsc.com
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)?
