Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a collection of medical problems that result from brain trauma in young children. This occurs when an infant or toddler is violently shaken, usually by a parent or caregiver who is frustrated or angry that the baby is crying. Oftentimes the shaking is followed by an impact to the head from being thrown onto a fixed surface. SBS is a form of child abuse.

There are an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 cases of SBS every year in the United States, according to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. It most often occurs in infants under 1 year old. The average age of infants with SBS is between 3 months and 8 months old, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

When a young child is shaken, the brain moves around inside the skull, which can cause brain damage and death. Up to 25 percent of children with SBS die, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Even when children with SBS survive, they may experience significant neurological, developmental and cognitive disabilities. Many may need lifelong medical care.  

Signs of SBS will differ, depending on the severity and duration of shaking, as well as how often the shaking was done. Child abuse using shaking rarely occurs only once. Signs may range from mild (e.g., lethargy, irritability, vomiting) to severe (e.g., seizures, breathing difficulties and loss of consciousness).

Diagnosing SBS may be difficult since the people responsible for the abuse rarely volunteer this information to health care professionals. Without a specific indication that the brain may be injured, mild symptoms of SBS may be confused with a viral infection or colic. Parents or caregivers who suspect their child has been shaken should tell a physician in order to prevent further injury. Imaging tests that reveal bleeding and swelling of the brain, and bleeding at the back of the eye (retinal hemorrhage) may indicate SBS – especially if no external physical injury to the child’s body is evident.  

Treatment of SBS will depend on the extent and severity of injuries sustained from shaking. It typically requires that an infant or toddler with SBS be hospitalized. Treatment methods may include resuscitation, medication and surgery.