Shakey baby: symptoms and consequences

Shakey baby syndrome is a serious form of child abuse that can cause irreversible brain injuries and even death. Shaving a baby, even if it is only a few seconds, can have devastating consequences.

Shakey baby syndrome, also known as the zarandeado child syndrome or Shaken Baby Syndrome, is a form of physical abuse characterized by a set of clinical signs that include brain injuries (subdural or sub -endoid hemorrhage, of the brain, in the absence of other physical injuries of traumatic injury and that occur by vigorously shaking a child under two years, although it can also be seen in children under five years.

It is an entity that It can become extremely serious and even mortal. Its incidence is high: in the world 20-25 cases per 100,000 children under two years.

What is considered a shake?

Share is any abrupt movement that shakes, shakes or menee to a person. In the case of children under two years old, we talk about the shaking child’s syndrome when these movements carry abrupt acceleration and deceleration movements and vigorous head and neck.

The reasons, according to scientific literature, for which a baby is violently shaken are:

• The frustration and anger of the caregiver in the face of an inconsolable and prolonged cry of a baby (more frequent cause).
• Attempt of “resuscitation” in a situation that the caregiver interprets as threatening for the baby’s life (sob spasm, choking, a cough attack, etc).
• Throw the baby in the air repeatedly already heights greater than 20 cm repeatedly (less frequent cause).

What happens when a baby shakes?

Children under two years of age have anatomical and physiological peculiarities that make them especially vulnerable to brain damage:

• His head is proportionally larger with respect to the body: a baby’s head represents 25% of its total weight.
• The neck muscles are weaker and unable to hold your head well.
• The brain is softer.
• The blood vessels of the brain are more fragile.

When a child shakes, the child stops breathing for a few seconds presenting a loss of blood oxygen and brain, and brain mass, which is a very soft and vascularized tissue, hits the hard walls of the skull with acceleration and deceleration movements. This produces:

• Inflammation of the brain (cerebral edema).
• Bleeding in the brain and structures that surround it (intracranial hemorrhage: subdural hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage).
• Hemorrhage in the retina (up to 80% of cases).
• Spinal cord lesions at neck level.

Less than 5 seconds of shaking are needed to cause damage to this severitywhich can be larger if shaking ends with a blow against a surface (cradle mattress, sofa, etc.).

What symptoms do you present?

Acute symptoms can be:

• Child sleeplessly, little reactive.
• Irritable, inconsolatable child.
• Vomiting
• Seizures

What consequences can you have?

Shareged child syndrome frequently produces long -term sequelae: 10% dies, a 45% have serious and irreversible sequelae as:

• Cerebral palsy
• Blindness.
• Deafness.
• Epilepsy.
• Paraplegia.

Children who have been shaken with less intensity, but repeatedly, can also develop long -term disorders:

How can it be prevented by the shaled baby syndrome?

Shaw Syndrome It can be prevented in all cases. You should never shake a baby or small child, or during the game, or to calm down or during a tantrum or anger.

Syndrome of the shaking child is considered a form of child abuse, although there has been no intention of harming, and has legal consequences.

Tips on how to act without resorting to shaking

1. If the baby cries in an inconsolable, persistent way, it will be necessary to look for a cause that justifies it and treating it (Hunger, cold, pain, beginning of an infectious process, etc). Whatever causes, however tired that parents or caregivers are, you have to try to reassure him by taking him in his arms, caressing him, rocking and speaking him smoothly and affectionately.
2. If the child is “without breathing” But it is aware (sob spasm, cough attack, choking with effective cough): take the baby in arms by placing it in sitting position and holding the head. You can rub your back a bit or give very soft blows on your back.
3. If the baby runs out of breathing and without effective cough in case of choking: Place the baby face down and a little inclined down, give 5 blows on the back, turn the baby and give 5 compressions in the chest in the direction “up”, and thus alternately until the baby releases the object. If the baby loses knowledge, you have to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers.
4. If the baby He runs out of breath and is unconsciouswe will have to proceed to cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuver.
5. If the baby has a seizure (It is unconscious, tonic or clonic movements) for example by a feverish process, Place it sideways and notify a medical emergency service.

If your baby does not stop crying and you have already followed these tips, remember that in Mapfre’s health insurance you have hospital emergency coverage.

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What you should know …

• You should never shake a baby or small child, or during the game, or to calm down or during a tantrum or anger.
• Less than 5 seconds of shaking are needed to cause damage to this gravity, which can be greater if shaking is finished with a blow against a surface (cradle mattress, sofa, etc.).
• Syndrome of the shaking child is considered a form of child abuse, although there has been no intention of harming, and has legal consequences.

Posted by blog health mapfre