Why You Shouldn't Shake a Baby, or What is Shaken Baby Syndrome. A newborn's chin, arms, legs are shaking - what is it and how to treat it
The doll, called Shaken Baby, shows the terrible reality of what happens to the brain of a small child when adults vigorously rock it or shake it.
Even not quite strong (from the point of view of an adult) shaking a small child can cause serious brain damage.
"Shaking" an infant causes the brain to move back/forth in the skull - this can eventually lead to shaken baby syndrome.
Even if you shake your baby for just a few seconds, it can cause devastating, irreversible brain damage.
Shaking a small child leads to serious head injury: this causes the destruction of brain cells, which can subsequently prevent the penetration of oxygen to the brain.
The appearance of a small baby in the family is always for parents. It is especially hard for young mothers and fathers of capricious babies who constantly cry. A few hours of unsuccessful motion sickness, a lack of understanding of what this "roar" needs - and nervous parents can start shaking the child in the hope that such "shock therapy" will help him calm down.
Experts say the most common reason parents or caregivers break down and start shaking their baby is excessive and uncontrollable crying.
A baby may cry very often - when he is hungry, if he has a dirty diaper, he is tired, he wants hugs if he is too hot or cold. But sometimes babies can't be comforted no matter how hard you try.
Despite the fact that this anger at the baby lasts a matter of seconds, nevertheless, according to experts from the National Health Service of Great Britain, one in four babies die as a result of injuries sustained as a result of shaking by adults.
To show parents what happens to a baby when shaken by adults, and thereby highlight the health risks, scientists have created a new baby doll, appropriately called Shaken Baby (shaken baby).
The doll was recently unveiled in Stuttgart, Germany as part of a campaign to raise parental awareness of the dangers of shaking a child.
When the doll is shaken, red lights on the head light up to show exactly which areas of the baby's brain are currently damaged.
The sight of the red lights is truly impressive, and experts are very hopeful that such a visual example will make many parents think twice or even thrice before they start shaking the baby in a fit of anger.
Dr Jeff Dabel, an expert on child protection at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, told The Sun: “What happens in traumatic brain injury is very difficult to study. In addition, the cause of a specific head injury is not always clear. Of course, babies should never be shaken vigorously, let alone forcefully. We know that when a baby is shaken by an adult, their little brain hits the inside of the skull, causing damage to brain tissue and ruptures of blood vessels and nerves. All this can lead to serious and long-term symptoms, even death.
WHAT is shaken baby syndrome?
Shaken baby syndrome is a form of head injury that results from shaking a baby when its head is loose and loose. Often this concussion leads to hemorrhage in the brain. Shaken baby syndrome can occur not only as a result of careless rude attitude of parents. It happens that moms or dads shake the kids during the game, throwing them into the air and picking them up again.
The key signs of childhood concussion are:
capriciousness,
lethargy,
weak appetite or its complete absence,
pale or bluish skin
breathing problems
tremor,
vomit.
What to do:
If you think your child has been injured by shaking, see a doctor immediately. Immediate medical attention can save your child's life or prevent serious injury.
useful articles
6 Signs Your Child Has an Eating Disorder
In the early stages, it is not so easy to understand that a child has nutritional problems, since changes in weight do not occur all at once. Read on for 6 signs parents can tell their child is having an eating disorder so they can respond and start dealing with the problem.
"Each of you is responsible for
what is entrusted to him" (Bukhari and Muslim)
"Most traumatized infants
resulting from strong shaking,
persisting neurological deficits
and more than 25% of them die"
(A. G. Rumyantsev, O. N. Dreval,
V. M. Feniksov)
An ambulance took the six-month-old baby to the hospital. He responded poorly to sound and tactile stimuli. Suddenly, after convulsions, he stopped breathing, there was a loss of consciousness. Emergency measures did not help, and the child died. An autopsy showed that the cause of death was that the night before the mother shook the child violently, because he cried long and hard, and her nerves could not stand it.
Back in the seventies of the last century, similar cases were noted by medical scientists in the United States, and the disease itself was called Shaken baby syndrome (SBS, Sudden infant death syndrome - SIDS). SDS was first described by pediatric radiologist John Caffey in 1946, and in 1974 he coined the term WSIS (“whiplash shaken infant syndrome”).
SDS occurs when an adult shakes the baby so hard (a few seconds is enough) that the unfixed head dangles, which ruptures the membranes of brain cells and damages the brain as a whole. The symptom manifests itself in hemorrhages, cerebral edema and hemorrhages in the retina. Consequences - mental retardation, paralysis, blindness, epilepsy. In the worst case, the baby may die.
According to modern concepts, SDS is one of the main causes of infant death. In the USA, for example, 2,000 babies die from it every year, in England - 100. Globally, there are an average of 27 cases of SFS per 100,000 babies. For many countries, accurate data are not yet available. Based on studies conducted in the United States and England, fathers-stepfathers (68-83%) are most often responsible for SDS, followed by nannies (8-17%) and mothers (9-13%).
A lawsuit related to the SDS took place in Switzerland. Renowned climber Erhard Loretan has been accused of inadvertently killing his seven-month-old son. On Christmas Eve, Loretan was left alone with the baby. The child did not want to fall asleep and cried for a long time. Losing patience, and not knowing how to appease his son, Loretan took him with both hands and shook him slightly. The screaming stopped, the father put the baby back on the bed and left the room. In the morning he discovered that the child was unconscious. A day later, the baby died in the hospital. The court sentenced the father to a suspended sentence and a fine for the unintentional murder of his son. This case received wide publicity, and since then not only doctors, but also lawyers have paid close attention to SDS.
In 2003, the first VTS congress was held in Edinburgh. Estonia, for example, was one of the first countries in Eastern Europe to become aware of the shaken baby syndrome. In this country, the syndrome was first diagnosed in 1999, its frequency is 40.5 per 100 thousand population. The pediatric neurologist at the University of Tartu Clinic, Inga Talvik, defended her first doctoral dissertation on SDS. There have already been a number of criminal investigations into the SDS.
It is possible to significantly reduce the incidence of such a disease and the death of infants.
To do this, child psychologists and pediatricians recommend:
Never, for any reason, shake a child who has not reached the age of two.
When you hold a newborn in your arms, support his head.
It is important to understand that the child is not crying because he wants to piss you off. He may be hungry, sick, or for other important reasons.
If the child does not stop screaming, then go out for a few minutes to another room. When you calm down, then return to him to finally deal with the situation.
Over time, the child will grow up and stop screaming. In the meantime, you need to deal with this situation without losing your composure.
The main reason why parents lose self-control is the crying of the baby. In addition, parents lose their temper when the child does not want to eat or sit on the potty. It is necessary to explain that a crying child is not a problem, that crying is the “work” of the child, he will not die from this, but may die from a concussion. Parents should remember that even slight shaking of an infant leads to such damage to his brain, from which 10-20% of infants die, and 75% receive brain injuries for life with unpredictable consequences throughout their lives.
x x x
Recently passed by a kindergarten. A young mother and son went out into the street. Their relationship has clearly deteriorated. Suddenly, mother from all over hit the boy in a soft place. He cried so loudly that a flock of sparrows flew away in an instant. If the child were younger, then SDS would be guaranteed from such a shake-up. Extensive explanatory work of psychologists and doctors among future parents is needed to prevent the risk of developing SDS in infants. Timely diagnosis of the syndrome is also needed, if such a misfortune happens to the baby.
P.S.
Than to beat a child, it is better to stroke him affectionately. Studies show the benefits of this:
The prestigious $100,000 Alberta Heritage Foundation award went to Canadian scientist Michael Meaney for his study of how parental touch helps relieve stress in offspring by altering the brain chemistry that turns on the stress-reducing gene.
According to the BBC broadcaster, a professor at McGill University conducted the first phase of his study on laboratory rats. Among those who licked the fur of their offspring more often, the babies were calmer and less shy compared to those who were less attentively cared for. In addition, carefully groomed offspring were better able to perform some of the tasks that the experimenters set for them.
“We tried to understand the intermediate stage that is between the risk of a disease and the actual disease in the future,” Professor Mini said in an interview with the television company. “After all, the conditions when children become predisposed to obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases largely depend on parents We are trying to identify such methods of interaction between a parent and a child that could reduce the risk of this kind of disease" (Medical news 16.02.08 Solvay Pharma)
-----
See Also:
* Diagnosis of the new time - shaking baby syndrome http://rus.postimees.ee/051007/glavnaja/estonija/23161.php
* SDS Syndrome http://www.raspm.net/d/raspm_nauka_info_01.pdf
* Shaking a child is dangerous! http://islam.com.ua/gazeta/0401/opasno.shtml
* Concussion in children http://www.7ya.ru/articles/8060.aspx
* Leading cause of infant death in Israel http://www.netvestnik.com/news-28129.html
* Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) * Caffey J. The Whiplash shaken infant syndrome: Manual shaking by the extremities with whiplash-induced intractanial, and intraocular bleeding, linked with residual permanent brain damage and mental retardation. Pediatrics 1974; 54:390-400.
"Happy child" Family photo
Reviews
Vlad, thanks for the topic, it is interesting and relevant: I have never heard of such a syndrome. I absolutely agree that explanatory work should be carried out. After all, the lack of information leads to tragedies.
Mom of a three-month-old Platoshka,
Physiological tremor small in its amplitude, it is rhythmic and often occurs during the crying of the child. With tremors in newborns, the lower lip or chin is more likely to tremble, and in rare cases, the arms or legs. Trembling can manifest itself asymmetrically and symmetrically. For example, one knob or both may tremble.
Distinctive features of physiological tremor are:
1.
His rapid disappearance (after a few seconds);
2.
Appearance after nervous tension (bathing in the bathroom, intestinal colic, crying, changing clothes, REM sleep phases or when feeling hungry, etc.).
Most often, physiological tremor appears in the first days of a baby's life, and gradually its episodes become more and more rare. The symptoms of tremor are especially pronounced in premature babies, because their nervous system is more immature than in full-term newborns. As a rule, physiological tremor completely disappears before 1-3 months of life.
Pathological tremor differs from the physiological one in that not only the lips, chin and limbs of the baby, but also the head are involved in the process of twitching.
Episodes of pathological tremors become longer over time and occur for no reason, and twitches become more intense and can spread to the whole body. The baby becomes more restless, moody and does not sleep well.
This condition of the child should alert parents and become a reason for a visit to a neurologist, since pathological tremor can be a symptom of neurological diseases and disorders (increased intracranial pressure, intracranial hemorrhage, hyperglycemia, hypomagnesemia, hypocalcemia, perinatal encephalopathy, etc.).
Causes
The main cause of tremor of the lips, chin, upper and lower extremities in a newborn child is the immaturity of some nerve centers of the brain and the high content of the adrenal hormone, norepinephrine, in the blood serum, which is responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses. Physiological tremor occurs in the majority (about half) of newborns under 1 month of age and in almost all premature babies. The main predisposing factors for the underdevelopment of the baby's nervous system are: oxygen starvation and an excess amount of norepinephrine in the blood of the expectant mother. The reason for the development of such conditions can be a variety of factors:
- fetal hypoxia during pregnancy;
- stressful situations of the mother during pregnancy;
- the threat of termination of pregnancy;
- infectious diseases in the mother;
- rapid childbirth;
- cord entanglement;
- trauma during childbirth.
Treatment
Physiological tremor The child does not require medical treatment. Neurologists recommend that the baby's parents carefully monitor the baby to find out the moments when he begins to tremor - at rest or with nervous excitement.With pathological tremor treatment should be carried out under the strict supervision of a neurologist. After determining the cause of the tremor, the doctor may prescribe medications to treat the underlying disease.
In addition, such children are prescribed therapeutic exercises and relaxing massage. These procedures should be carried out by a specialist, he can also teach some skills to the mother of the baby. Swimming lessons give good results, as well as the creation of a friendly and calm atmosphere in the family.
Massage for tremor in a newborn
Massage for tremor in a newborn is recommended to start doing from 5-6 weeks of age. It is relaxing and restorative in nature and helps to strengthen the nervous system of the baby. Massage should be performed by an experienced massage therapist; subsequently, the mother of the child can also learn massage techniques. Recommendations for massage with tremor in a newborn:
1.
Ventilate the room before the session.
2.
Hands should be clean, warm and dry, nails cut short.
3.
The session is carried out at a time when the baby is in a good mood and is awake.
4.
Perform the session on a flat surface, in a comfortable and familiar place for the baby (for example, on a changing table).
5.
During the massage, it is necessary to talk with the child.
6.
Massage must be stopped if the child cries or somehow shows his displeasure.
7.
Do not use aromatic oils or baby powder for massage (you can use a cream familiar to the child).
For a relaxing massage, the following movements can be used:
- stroking;
- kneading;
- trituration;
- vibration.
When performing a relaxing massage, it is important to follow a certain sequence:
- first, the handles are massaged - the child’s handle is held with the left hand (by the brush), and stroking is performed with the right hand (10 times), gentle rubbing of each finger is performed, then the other handle is massaged;
- chest massage - the palms of the hands are placed on the base of the neck and stroking down ("herringbone"), repeat 6-7 times;
- tummy massage - the palm of the right hand is placed on the child's stomach and circular movements are made clockwise, performed about 10 times;
- foot massage - performed in the same way as hand massage;
- back massage - the baby, holding the arm and leg, is turned over on the tummy, stroking from the bottom up, then herringbone.
Consequences
Physiological tremor does not leave negative consequences forShaken Baby Syndrome - Symptoms:
- Headache
- Hyperexcitability
- Drowsiness
- Decreased appetite
- Decreased muscle tone
- Vomit
- convulsions
- Loss of consciousness
- Respiratory disorders
- Enlargement of the head circumference (in children up to 4 months)
Consequences of Shaken Baby Syndrome:
- Mental retardation
- Blindness
- Paralysis
- Epilepsy
- Death
Why does SDS occur?
Most cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome do not occur in families of alcoholics, drug addicts, and other dysfunctional social elements. Most often, children become victims of the shaken baby syndrome in completely normal families, when loving parents at some point get annoyed, angry with the child and shake him or her abruptly in the crib in desperation. According to statistics, this behavior is more typical for fathers and stepfathers than for mothers or nannies.
In 2003, the first shaken baby syndrome trial took place in Switzerland. The accused of unintentionally killing his son was the famous climber Erhard Loretan, who was left alone with his seven-month-old baby on Christmas Eve. The child did not want to fall asleep, cried for a long time, and Erhard, who had lost his patience, firmly took him with both hands and shook him slightly. The child calmed down and fell asleep, Erhard put him to bed, and in the morning he noticed that his son was unconscious. A day later, the child died in the hospital. The father was given a suspended sentence and a fine.
Emotional breakdowns of parents or caregivers are not the only cause of SDS. Often, shaken baby syndrome can occur when a baby is handled carelessly during play, when a baby is thrown into the air, in traffic accidents, or when a baby falls. The latter is especially true for newborns, carelessly left unattended even for a short time.
Measures to prevent SDS
In order to protect the child as much as possible from unintentional harm, pediatricians and child psychologists recommend the following rules:
- Do not leave children (especially newborns) unattended in unsafe places: on beds without sides, changing tables and other high places. Even a few seconds of your absence can cost a child health or life.
- When in a car, use car seats appropriate for your child's age. Be sure to fasten your baby with seat belts.
- Never, under any circumstances, shake a child under two years of age.
- Do not throw children up.
- When picking up a newborn baby, hold his head
- Try not to despair if the child is hysterical. He cries not because he tests you for strength or scoffs. Crying is the only way for a child to communicate their problems to you. In addition, if an adult, being next to a child, begins to lose control of his emotions, the child feels it. The baby begins to perceive you as a threat to his safety and cries even more from fear.
- If you can’t calm a crying baby in any way, get irritated and lose control - gently put the baby in a safe place, for example, in a crib, and leave the room for a few minutes. Calm down, take a breath and return to the child. A few minutes of crying alone will not harm the baby, but it will give you the opportunity to recover.
- Try to involve other family members or people you trust in caring for your child as much as possible. This will allow you to avoid overwork and nervous breakdowns. If this is not possible, simple human communication or a favorite hobby can help you. Walk in the company of other mothers, call friends, knit, collect model airplanes in your free time. Do whatever helps you relax and unwind.
- Satisfy the natural needs of the body. You didn’t get enough sleep, you are hungry, you haven’t been to the bathroom or toilet for a long time - all these factors provoke instability of the emotional state.
The main cause of parents' irritation is children's crying, however, adults can lose self-control if the child refuses to eat, does not want to sit on the potty, hesitates and is naughty at a time when you need to quickly get somewhere, etc. In all such situations, always remember that even a slight shaking of a small child can lead to irreversible consequences. Remember that the baby is not able to control his emotions, so the responsibility for the emotional climate in your family lies entirely with adults. Babies will outgrow their crying and tantrums very quickly, and it's important to help them do this as safely as possible.
We are very frightened when a child falls due to an oversight of a young mother. We do not understand and get angry when we see children being beaten and yelled at.
It is generally accepted that only a bad parent will physically abuse his child. We, as good parents, will never cause physical harm to our beloved child. And in general, physical violence is the lot of dysfunctional families! Although slaps on the pope are also in prosperous families ...
Can a good parent cause harm, physical abuse to his child, without knowing it? My answer is maybe. Out of ignorance ... although ignorance of the laws does not exempt from responsibility.
In this article I want to tell you about such a "law". Not only the infliction of injuries and bodily harm is physical abuse. One of the manifestations of physical abuse in relation to the smallest (children from 0 to 3 years old) is the syndrome of shaking the baby.
I'll give you an example. The child cries all night, the young mother no longer has strength, her nerves are on edge. Out of anger, she pulls with all her might the crib in which the baby is crying. It seems that the child calmed down, and the anger subsided, it seems like everything is fine.
Shaken baby syndrome involves trauma that parents or other adults may inflict on a crying baby to soothe them.
Situations that cause the formation of the syndrome
The situations may be as follows:
- Intense motion sickness in a rocking crib, in arms, in a stroller. Dear parents, this does not mean that you cannot rock a baby in your arms. Your actions should be soft, smooth, gentle.
- Throwing the baby up (a dubious item for many experts). In my opinion, this action is especially dangerous in the first three years. But even after three years, this action is not safe for the baby.
- Throwing the child on any objects or on the crib.
- Shaking of the arm, shoulder, chest, legs.
- A hard slap on the buttocks or back.
- Shaking to wake up.
When a baby cries, an irritated adult by such actions gives vent to anger and anger. As a rule, women with postpartum depression most often shake the baby. Although according to some sources dangerous actions are performed by men. But both mothers and fathers, and grandparents, aunts and uncles should know:
Small children should not be shaken or shaken vigorously. These activities can damage the brain and spine. The ease of injury can be explained by the fact that the baby, its bones, skull, spine have not yet formed, they have a soft structure.
Since the baby's muscles, or rather the muscles of the neck, are not sufficiently developed, sudden movements of the head can damage the brain (hemorrhage in the brain or retina may occur).
Other effects of shaking syndrome include:
- fractures
- convulsions
- blindness
- delayed emotional and physical development
- learning and behavioral difficulties.
Tips for Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Find out how you can calm the baby (you must find the reason that worries the little one). Pediatricians do not recommend rocking a child so that he stops crying.
- If you yourself or someone else accidentally or deliberately shook the child, then you should immediately consult a doctor.
- If you are tired, irritated, feel outbursts of anger, filled with negative emotions and worries, ask someone from your family to stay with your child. If support is not available, leave the infant in a safe place (cot) for 5-10 minutes. During this time, you will return to normal.
- Take care of your personal time. To maintain psychological balance, devote some time to yourself or friends (go to the movies).
- In no case do not blame yourself for the negative emotions associated with the child that you may experience. Such emotions are normal. The main thing is that they do not cause harm to the baby.
The most important thing is to be careful and gentle with the baby, because he is completely defenseless.
Other related information
-
How to wean a baby off a pacifier? Tips from a child psychologist -
-
Children's aggression. How to be? -
-
-
-
