The Significance of Macrocephaly or Enlarging Head Circumference in Infants with the Triad: Further Evidence of Mimics of Shaken Baby Syndrome

dc.contributor.authorMiller, D., Barnes, P., & Miller, M.
dc.date.accessioned2015-07-28T20:20:54Z
dc.date.available2015-07-28T20:20:54Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractInfants with the triad (neurologic dysfunction, subdural hematoma [SDH], and retinal hemorrhage) are often diagnosed as victims of shaken baby syndrome. Medical conditions/predisposing factors to developing the triad are often dismissed: short falls, birth-related SDH that enlarges, macrocephaly, sinus/cortical vein thrombosis, and others. Six infants with the triad are described in which child abuse was diagnosed, but parents denied wrongdoing. All 6 had either macrocephaly or enlarging head circumference, which suggested medical explanations. Three infants incurred short falls, 1 had a difficult delivery in which there was likely a rebleed of a birth-related SDH, 1 had a spontaneous SDH associated with increased extra-axial fluid spaces, and 1 had a sinus thrombosis. Following legal proceedings, all 6 infants were returned to their parents, and there has been no child maltreatment in follow-up, suggesting child abuse never happened. The results indicate that alternative medical explanations for causing the triad should be considered and that macrocephaly or an enlarging head circumference raises the possibility of a medical explanation. (Author Abstract)en_US
dc.identifier.citationMiller, D., Barnes, P., & Miller, M. (2015). The significance of macrocephaly or enlarging head circumference in infants with the triad: further evidence of mimics of shaken baby syndrome. The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology, 36(2), 111-120.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=pediatrics
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/2392
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherAmerican Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathologyen_US
dc.subjectchild abuseen_US
dc.subjectshaken baby syndromeen_US
dc.subjectdiagnosisen_US
dc.subjectmisdiagnosisen_US
dc.subjectcasesen_US
dc.titleThe Significance of Macrocephaly or Enlarging Head Circumference in Infants with the Triad: Further Evidence of Mimics of Shaken Baby Syndromeen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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