Shaken baby syndrome

Abstract

Violent shaking causes severe injury in infants, but the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome is often difficult to make because of the lack of obvious external signs. Consultations by other specialists may not be helpful, since the findings of most organ systems, taken in isolation, are usually nonspecific. Shaken baby syndrome should be considered in infants presenting with seizures, failure to thrive, vomiting associated with lethargy or drowsiness, hypothermia, bradycardia, hypertension or hypotension, respiratory irregularities, coma or death. Shaken babies are usually less than one year old, and most are under six months of age. Head injury (notably subdural hemorrhage) and retinal hemorrhages are the hallmarks of the syndrome.