Shaken baby syndrome is a situation that can occur when the baby is shaken from side to side strongly and without holding the head, which can cause bleeding and lack of oxygen in the baby’s brain, as the neck muscles are very weak and lack strength to properly support the head.
This syndrome can occur up to age 5, but is more common in infants between 6 and 8 weeks during innocent games, such as vomiting the child, or to try to prevent the child from crying, which is the cause. more common.
- Symptoms of the syndrome are difficult to identify because babies can’t express what they feel.
- But problems like:.
For example, you should be aware of signs such as irritation, constant crying, drowsiness, vomiting and bruising on your baby’s body. Also, it’s important to remember that symptoms usually don’t appear shortly after your child’s sudden tremor, but appear a few hours or days after sudden agitation.
Although shaken baby syndrome is often associated with sudden movements that are performed to try to make the baby cry, it can also occur when trying to revive the child in a life-threatening situation, such as suffocation and coughing, for example.
Attention should be paid to signs of changes in your baby’s behavior and take it to your doctor in case of symptoms of shaken baby syndrome, so that more tests such as blood tests, x-rays or CT scans are performed, which will be checked for changes in the brain. In addition, it should be taken into account whether the child is afraid of a family member or guardian, which may be the cause of abuse or abusive gambling.
It’s also important to remember that cradle the baby in your arms, rock it in your lap, and hold it by the head, or use the stroller to carry it, even in a shaking terrain, is not a cause for risk to your child’s health.
The child’s brain remains very sensitive until age 2, but the worst consequences occur mainly in infants younger than 6 months, with developmental delay, mental retardation, paralysis, vision loss, hearing loss, seizures, coma. and death by rupture of blood vessels or nerves that reach the brain.
In most cases, this syndrome occurs in unstable families, with stressed parents who do not tolerate the baby’s arrival, or who have a history of alcoholism, depression, or family abuse.
Treatment for shaken baby syndrome varies depending on the sequelae and injuries caused by sudden movements, and medications, psychotherapy, or surgery may be necessary to repair the damage.
In addition, it is important that parents and caregivers also seek the help of a psychotherapist to help them manage stress and anger, and learn how to handle the child calmly and patiently, as one of the factors that cause the baby to tremble. is the fact that the baby cries uncontrollably. See some tips to stop your baby crying.