Home > Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders > Shaken Baby Syndrome

Definition

Shaken baby syndrome is a severe form of head injury caused by the forcible shaking of a child. The force is sufficient to cause the brain to bounce against the baby's skull, causing injury or damage to the brain.

Description

Shaking an infant forcibly transfers a great deal of energy to the infant. When the shaking occurs as the infant is being held, much of the force is transferred to the neck and the head. The force can be so great that the brain can move within the skull, rebounding back and forth from one side of the skull to the other. The bashing can be very destructive to the brain, causing bruising, swelling, or bleeding. Bleeding of the brain is also called intracerebral hemorrhage. The force of shaking can also damage the neck.

As its name implies, shaken baby syndrome can often be a result of deliberate abuse. The brain damage can also be the result of an accident. The force and...