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NINDS Shaken Baby Syndrome Information Page

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What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?

Shaken baby syndrome is a type of inflicted traumatic brain injury that happens when a baby is violently shaken.  A baby has weak neck muscles and a large, heavy head.  Shaking makes the fragile brain bounce back and forth inside the skull and causes bruising, swelling, and bleeding, which can lead to permanent, severe brain damage or death.  The characteristic injuries of shaken baby syndrome are subdural hemorrhages (bleeding in the brain), retinal hemorrhages (bleeding in the retina), damage to the spinal cord and neck, and fractures of the ribs and bones.  These injuries may not be immediately noticeable.  Symptoms of shaken baby syndrome include extreme irritability, lethargy, poor feeding, breathing problems, convulsions, vomiting, and pale or bluish skin.  Shaken baby injuries usually occur in children younger than 2 years old, but may be seen in children up to the age of 5.

Is there any treatment?

Emergency treatment for a baby who has been shaken usually includes life-sustaining measures such as respiratory support and surgery to stop internal bleeding and bleeding in the brain.  Doctors may use brain scans, such as MRI and CT, to make a more definite diagnosis. 

What is the prognosis?

In comparison with accidental traumatic brain injury in infants, shaken baby injuries have a much worse prognosis.  Damage to the retina of the eye can cause blindness.  The majority of infants who survive severe shaking will have some form of neurological or mental disability, such as cerebral palsy or mental retardation, which may not be fully apparent before 6 years of age. Children with shaken baby syndrome may require lifelong medical care.

What research is being done?

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and other institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), conduct research related to shaken baby syndrome in laboratories at the NIH and also support additional research through grants to major medical institutions across the country.  Much of this research focuses on finding better ways to treat and heal medical conditions such as shaken baby syndrome. 

NIH Patient Recruitment for Shaken Baby Syndrome Clinical Trials

Organizations

The Arc of the United States
1010 Wayne Avenue
Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD   20910
Info@thearc.org
http://www.thearc.org
Tel: 301-565-3842
Fax: 301-565-3843 or -5342

 ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation
29W120 Butterfield Road
Suite 105
Warrenville, IL   60555
thinkfirst@thinkfirst.org
http://www.thinkfirst.org
Tel: 630-393-1400 800-THINK-56 (844-6556)
Fax: 630-393-1402


Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892



NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical history.

All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated.

Last updated February 14, 2007