Can bouncing a baby cause shaken baby syndrome?
Can bouncing a baby cause shaken baby syndrome?
Playful interaction with an infant, such as bouncing the baby on the lap or tossing the baby up in the air, won’t cause the injuries associated with shaken baby syndrome. Instead, these injuries often happen when someone shakes the baby out of frustration or anger. You should never shake a baby under any circumstances.
How long is shaken baby syndrome a risk?
SBS happens most often in infants up to one year, with infants aged two to four months being most at risk. SBS does not usually happen after age two, but children as old as five or six can be damaged in this way if the shaking is extremely violent.
How do you prevent SBS?
Tips to Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Walk away. Put the baby in a safe place, like a crib.
- Move your body. Regular exercise releases endorphins, a chemical in the brain that can improve your mood and make your feel less stressed.
- Breathe deeply.
- Make time for yourself.
- Smile.
- Keep a journal.
- Call a friend.
- Ask for help.
Can SBS be accidental?
Infants with shaken baby syndrome have life-threatening injuries. Many affected infants develop permanent brain damage and blindness as a result of the abuse. Shaken baby syndrome is almost never seen as a result of accidental trauma. Always report suspected child abuse.
How do I know if I shook my baby?
Shaken baby syndrome symptoms and signs include: Extreme fussiness or irritability. Difficulty staying awake.
What are 3 immediate consequences of shaking a baby?
When a baby is shaken hard by the shoulders, arms, or legs, it can cause learning disabilities, behavior disorders, vision problems or blindness, hearing and speech issues, seizures, cerebral palsy, serious brain injury, and permanent disability. In some cases, it can be fatal.
What happens if you hit a baby’s soft spot?
Many parents worry that their baby will be injured if the soft spot is touched or brushed over. The fontanel is covered by a thick, tough membrane which protects the brain. There is absolutely no danger of damaging your baby with normal handling. Don’t be afraid to touch, brush over, or wash over the soft spot.
What triggers shaken baby syndrome?
If a baby is forcefully shaken, their fragile brain moves back and forth inside the skull. This causes bruising, swelling and bleeding. Shaken baby syndrome usually occurs when a parent or caregiver severely shakes a baby or toddler due to frustration or anger — often because the child won’t stop crying.
What is a frequent trigger for SBS?
Causes and Risk Factors. Prolonged or inconsolable crying is the most common trigger for SBS. Episodes of crying that can trigger shaking behavior among parents and caregivers are known to increase in the first month after birth, peak in the second month, and decrease thereafter.
Can rocking a baby cause SBS?
Shaken Baby syndrome is caused by a violent and forceful shaking of a child. It is something that most anyone would recognize as extremely dangerous and potentially life threatening. Playful activities like bouncing a baby on a knee or whisking them through the air, while not recommended, are not going to cause SBS.
Can tossing baby cause SBS?
SBS is a form of child abuse that happens when an infant or small child is violently shaken. Shaken injuries are not caused by: Bouncing a baby on your knee. Tossing a baby in the air.
Can shaking a baby cause brain damage?
Babies have very weak neck muscles that cannot fully support their proportionately large heads. Severe shaking causes the baby’s head to move violently back and forth, resulting in serious and sometimes fatal brain injury.