Babies
or small children who suffer injury or death from severe
shaking or jerking are victims of what is called Shaken
Baby Syndrome (SBS).
Sometimes a young child's crying or need for attention
can be more than tired parents or caregivers can cope
with. In frustration, without knowing the dangers, they
may shake a baby or small child to get its attention
or to make it stop crying.
Children
under two can easily be injured from shaking because
their weak neck muscles aren't yet strong enough to
fully control their head movements. When a child is
shaken, the head whips back and forth, slamming the
fragile brain tissue against the hard skull, causing
bruising, bleeding and swelling inside the brain. When
the shaking is combined with throwing the baby against
the crib mattress or pillow, even more force is applied
to the brain and more damage can occur.
Half
of the children who are victims of SBS die from their
injuries. Depending on the age of the child and
how severe the shaking, injuries can include:
