Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (Shaken Baby Syndrome).
Date
2018
Authors
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Publisher
StatPearls Publishing
Abstract
Author Introduction: Pediatric abusive head trauma (AHT) most often involves brain injury of infants and young children. Another term for this condition is shaken baby syndrome (SBS). Shaking, blunt impact, or the combination can result in neurological injury.[1][2][3]
Abusive head trauma typically involves injury to the intracranial contents or skull of an infant or child younger than 5 years old as a result of violent shaking or blunt impact. The outcome ranges from complete recovery to significant brain damage and death.
Brain and head injuries are the most common cause of traumatic death in children less than 2 years. Early diagnosis is essential but may prove challenging. Often the individuals responsible are evasive. Health professionals may not recognize the signs and symptoms due to frequent lack of external signs of head trauma or abuse.
The solution to avoiding abusive head trauma is caregiver education to avoid accidental pediatric abusive head trauma and shaken baby syndrome, and to train health providers to recognize the signs and symptoms. Preventive mental health care is the best option to reduce child abuse. For those children that survive, the long-term financial, medical burden is extensive.
Description
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Keywords
abusive head trauma, physical abuse, shaken baby syndrome
Citation
Joyce, T., & Huecker, M. R. (2018). Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma (Shaken Baby Syndrome). In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.