BABIES. Just the word suggests warm feelings, tender moments and innocent little people who depend on parents, grandparents, siblings, and other caregivers to love and care for them. However, there is another side to caring for a baby or small child that isn’t talked about much—the feelings of being frustrated, overwhelmed, and alone.

These are normal feelings to have while taking care of a baby. After all, it is a big responsibility for anyone. Many times the stresses of day-to-day life—fatigue, family problems, financial strain, and overworking—can make someone reach a breaking point, especially if a baby is fussy and crying for a long period of time. It happens to mothers, fathers, family members, day care providers, friends and even teenagers who are babysitting for just a few hours a day. Unfortunately, babies and small children are the victims when feelings of frustration result in violent shaking to stop the child from crying.


What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?

When a baby is vigorously shaken, the head moves back and forth. This sudden whiplash motion can cause bleeding inside the head and swelling that increases pressure on the brain, resulting in injury to the baby. This is known as Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). A baby’s head and neck are susceptible to head trauma because his or her muscles are not fully developed and the brain tissue is exceptionally fragile. Head trauma is the leading cause of disability among abused infants and children.

SBS occurs most frequently in infants younger than six months old, yet can occur up to the age of three. Often there are no obvious outward signs of inside injury, particularly in the head or behind the eyes. In reality, shaking a baby, if only for a few seconds, can injure the baby for life. These injuries can include brain swelling and damage; cerebral palsy; mental retardation; developmental delays; blindness; hearing loss; paralysis; and death. When a child is shaken in anger and frustration, the force is multiplied five or 10 times more than if the child had simply tripped and fallen.


How Does it Happen?

Often frustrated parents or other persons responsible for a child’s care feel that shaking a baby is a harmless way to make a child stop crying. Other times, children become victims when a parent or caretaker, not realizing how seriously this behavior can harm, throws a small child vigorously into the air, plays too rough, or hits an infant too hard on the back.

The number one reason a baby is shaken is because of inconsolable crying. Almost 25 percent of all babies with SBS die. It is estimated that 25 - 50 percent of parents and caretakers aren’t aware of the effects of shaking a baby.