Being a brutal form of child abuse, shaken baby syndrome facts state that it is gradually gaining the status of being one of the leading causes of infant mortality and disability. Since a baby is unable to communicate his or her feelings, crying is inevitable. However, in spite of repeated attempts, some people fail to understand what the baby wants and get frustrated on hearing the baby crying continuously. They end up shaking the baby aggressively in an attempt to stop him or her from bawling, resulting in shaken baby syndrome. At times, people take out their personal annoyance on innocent children. The ruthlessness of the act...
... has lifelong repercussions and in severe cases, is known to result in death. Shaken baby syndrome symptoms are generally not seen in the form of external bruising or wounds. The damage is usually internal and is way worse than an external injury. Shaken baby syndrome leads to brain damage as a consequence of the whiplash action of shaking the baby. The neck muscles of a toddler are weak. The head easily falls forward and backward when the baby is shaken resulting in the delicate brain colliding with the skull. This causes brain hemorrhage and damage to the brain tissue. Spinal cord injuries and retinal bleeding are other serious symptoms of this form of abuse. The bones of a baby are weak and tend to break easily on violent shaking. Dislocations are also common when a child is manhandled. Mysterious bruising may also be seen. Oxygen deprivation, paralysis, seizures, listlessness, loss of appetite and failure to thrive are other symptoms of shaken baby syndrome. The babies may also suffer from altered breathing and varying levels of blindness or deafness.
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Creating shaken baby syndrome awareness is absolutely essential to safeguard our children. Only when people realize the lifelong impact of their action, will they think twice before shaking up a baby. In most cases, this form of child abuse is seen in day care centers for toddlers. People, who opt to make a living as caregivers for toddlers, must be trained to deal with the stress of handling children, especially since the babies in their care are not their own offspring. At times, friends and relatives may also lose their cool and resort to shaking up a toddler in an attempt to keep him or her quiet. Hence, parents should ensure that they leave their toddlers in safe hands. Last but not the least, it is necessary to bear in mind that parents too lose their patience at times. At such times, handing over the baby to someone else till the period of frustration has subsided is essential so that the parent has time to become calm and can then care for the child.
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