Shaken Baby Syndrome

Usually if a child is born in a house, there are many conditions imposed on the people in that house. For example, you should pick up the baby only after washing your hands, feet, and face, don’t put your face to face too much, don’t kiss to make it drool, you can go on and on. One of the most important of them is the method of handling an infant. In other words, our medicine says that if a child who is not able to hold his head is handled without sufficient awareness and caressed rudely, the child may even suffer brain damage. If so, the answer is ‘yes’. This is called ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ in medicine. 

What is ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’?‘Shaken baby syndrome’ is a serious condition that causes brain injury. That is, when someone shakes or shakes a child too hard, carries it without holding its head, caresses it, or picks it up, it damages the child’s brain and puts it at risk. We define such damage as ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’. Children’s neck does not stop until 4 to 5 months after birth. This means that all the muscles of the newborn baby’s body will not be strong. The brain is not fully developed. So it may take months for the baby to hold its head up, crawl, stand, and walk. Therefore, rough petting and harsh handling of children can be dangerous. It is not only temporary problems but also permanent defects. Sometimes even death is possible. Therefore, extreme care is necessary in the case of young children. Especially, giving the baby to children and allowing them to carry it can lead to great danger. It is very important for every parent to know this.This violence and lack of awareness against children, which was high then and now in countries like India and America, is decreasing in recent times. That is, the reason for this is that many factors such as parental anger due to a child who cries incessantly, neglect of the caretaker, knowingly / unknowingly violence against young children, children shaking and playing with the child without awareness have reduced. 

What age child..?Children up to one year of age can have this risk. Especially in children up to 3 months of age, this risk can be very high. Excessive shaking, even in a head-up position, can cause vibratory effects. Mild brain damage may not show immediately (blurred vision, headaches, seizures etc.) as the child grows up. 

Don’ts..? Shaking and caressing the baby ferociously, picking up/playing with the baby, shaking the baby without patiently handling a baby whose neck is not upright, leaving the baby’s head unprotected due to shaking while traveling in carriages, and giving naps to babies etc. should not be allowed. This makes the young child more susceptible.

Important things to follow… *Children need extra care when letting the baby play.*Parents who don’t know how to handle a new born baby should learn proper handling techniques.*If the baby is crying for no reason, don’t shake it or put it down. (Although this type of violence is decreasing now, even 9 – 15 seconds of shaking can damage the baby’s brain). It can also cause vibration. 

What are the effects..?Immediate symptoms include constant crying in babies, vomiting and difficulty breathing. Some effects may take months to manifest. Shaking causes the baby’s brain to vibrate back and forth, causing trauma to the brain and causing bruising, bleeding and swelling. Blood vessels rupture and bleed. Convulsions may also occur. Permanently damaging cerebral palsy may occur. Also, there are chances of eye problems, blood clots in the retina and blurred vision after development, intellectual disability, speech delay, damage to the spinal cord in the neck area, hearing impairment, cracks in the head bones because the child’s skull is not fully developed. 

Conventional Medicine…Cerebral palsy (impairment with permanent effects) may affect body movements. So the child will find it difficult to sit, stand and walk. Traditional medicine can help them improve range of motion and prevent further deterioration through specific exercises and techniques. So playing with a child is also perverse. It is important for everyone to remember that dealing with violence can also end in suffering.