Shaken baby syndrome: symptoms, causes and treatment

This group of symptoms is the result of injuries caused by the brain hitting the bones.

A large part of the population has the desire to have children. Being a parent is a dream for many, for 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 violently shaking them when they cry continuously in order to shut them up. This type of mistreatment can cause severe brain damage in an organism as fragile as that of a baby. It is what happens in the cases of shaken baby syndrome..

Shaken baby syndrome

Shaken Baby Syndrome is the name given to the group of symptoms presented by infants who have been subjected to shaking (usually caused by an adult) without (generally provoked by the action of an adult) without any external trauma, these symptoms being the result of an intracranial lesion resulting from having been shaken violently.

The shaking results in a brain injury that can be very severe and can cause the death of the baby. capable of causing the baby's death (in fact, it is one of the (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 under three years of age.

Although the lesions can be variableIt is generally considered that there are three that are present in most cases of this syndrome and that allow its diagnosis: retinal hemorrhage, encephalopathy or brain damage (such as diffuse axonal damage) and subdural hematoma. Hydrocephalus is also common.

The symptoms of these lesions 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 begin to suffer epileptic seizures, lethargy, hypotonia or loss of muscle tone, anorexia, vomiting or respiratory problems. In addition, there may be serious long-term sequelae.

Sequelae and symptoms

In addition to the above-mentioned symptoms, damage to the brain often results in severe and permanent sequelae.

Among these sequelae are intellectual disability of varying severity. Cerebral palsy is not uncommon. Autism-like symptoms, developmental delays and language impairment may also be seen on occasion.

Also Infections can also occur, causing inflammation of the brain and worsening the child's condition. and worsen the child's condition. In addition, it is not uncommon for sensory disabilities such as acquired blindness or deafness to appear.

How does it occur?

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

However, it has also been seen on occasion in some cases where attempts are being made to resuscitate a baby who has stopped breathing, in car accidents (e.g. whiplash (e.g. whiplash even if the child is wearing a seat belt) and even in some disorders similar symptoms may appear without the need for shaking (although the latter are detectable). This is why it should not be assumed that they are necessarily the result of maltreatment.

Shaking causes the encephalic mass to the encephalic mass is displaced with violence and impacts against the walls of the skulland spinal nerves are damaged because the child's neck is not strong enough to withstand the acceleration.

The problems and injuries are also considered to arise from the presence of hypoxia or decreased oxygen reaching the brain regions during the shaking due to the respiratory disturbances caused during the shaking and damage to the brainstem.

Treatment of this syndrome

The neuronal death caused by shaken baby syndrome has no curative treatment. With time it is possible that some of the symptoms may diminish and in some cases recovery may be achieved. recovery may be achieved, 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 the extravasated Blood in internal hemorrhages, as well as the excessive cerebrospinal fluid if hydrocephalus appears. Also it is also essential to reduce intracranial pressure.. This may result in less waterlogged or compressed tissue.

Also, occupational therapy and other strategies can help affected children to regain function, be stimulated or learn different strategies that can improve their autonomy and quality of life. strategies that can improve their autonomy and quality of life..

Prevention mechanisms

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

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

Attempting to educate through different programs such as the Period of Purple Crying offered by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome can generate that in the face of the baby's crying, caregivers are able to establish different strategies such as cooing, taking them for a walk or playing white noise to soothe them while learning to manage the adult's own stress.

Obviously, in cases where the abuse has been intentional with the intent to cause harm (e.g., as a result of vicarious violence), legal measures such as removal of the individual from the infant should be imposed.