Definitions for "Shaken baby syndrome"
The severe injuries that result when a baby (or child) is shaken. Common are swelling of the brain, hemorrhaging, and neck injuries; in extreme cases, shaken baby syndrome is fatal.
Shaken baby syndrome is caused by vigorous shaking of an infant or young child by the arms, legs, chest or shoulders. Forceful shaking can result in brain damage leading to mental retardation, speech and learning disabilities, paralysis, seizures, hearing loss and even death. www.thearc.org/faqs/Shaken.html
Injuries, particularly to the head, caused by violently shaking a child. The syndrome is the most common cause of infant death from head injuries and is considered a serious form of child abuse. Shaken baby syndrome is encountered most often in 2-3 month-old infants. The syndrome has distinctive features including hemorrhage (bleeding) into the retina of the eye, hemorrhage and swelling of the brain, patterned bruising and fractures (breaks) of the child's ribs or bones. Deaths from the syndrome are high. Brain damage, visual problems, psychological consequences and learning difficulties are common in those that survive.