Medical Essay on Shaken Baby Syndrome

The shaken baby syndrome is a common child abuse issue that affects about 4 out of the 100000 children who are born. It results from the shaking of the baby by the caregiver vigorously such that it results in the brain damage. 25% of the cases of the shaken baby syndrome is fatal, and this shows the seriousness of this kind of child abuse (Dziegielewski, 2013). There is thus a need to find the best solution of dealing with the problem to ensure that the children are safe.

There may be various causes of the shaken baby syndrome, but the major cause is the frustration of the caregiver when the child constantly cries. The anger and impatience of the caregiver result to the caregiver shaking the child in an attempt to stop the baby from crying. This usually happens for the children who are below the age of 5 years. Other cases may be intentional acts by malicious individuals in the society who handle the child (Dziegielewski, 2013).

The impact of the shaken baby syndrome is that there is damage to the brain, which would require immediate attention so that surgery is conducted to stop the bleeding in the brain. It has to happen soonest to ensure that it is not too late to perform the surgery. There are certain symptoms that would tell whether the child has suffered from the shaken baby syndrome. First, the abuse results in the constant crying of the baby, vomiting and visual impairment especially when a child starts bleeding from the eyes after the abuse. The medical professionals usually identify shaken baby syndrome when they find retinal bleeding or soft tissue damage. If the children are not treated, the impact is that their cognitive development is adversely affected and at the same time, there may be other disabilities that develop as a result of the brain damage (Dziegielewski, 2013). The problem is that shaken baby syndrome is a criminal act which is punishable by law. There are great chances that the parents who have shaken their baby causing the damage are less likely to take the child to the hospitable because of the fear that they may be arrested.

Studies conducted in the past shows that shaking of a baby's head, involving moving the head of the child backward and forwards leads to the damage of cervical spine. The force used does not matter in that even the least use of force is known to be dangerous to the child. The male and female caregivers have equal chances of causing brain damage to the child. The parents who engage in drug abuse, those who are suffering from emotional problems and are facing financial problems are more likely to engage in the act (Dziegielewski, 2013).

The solution to this kind of child abuse requires that the parents are advised on how to calm the baby when they are crying. There is also the requirement that the parents receive counseling to ensure that their personal problems such as financial problems and drug abuse do not lead to abuse of the child (Dziegielewski, 2013).

In summary, the shaken baby syndrome is a fatal child abuse that affects children below the age of 5 years. It happens when a caregiver shakes the child's head leading to brain damage and a CT scan would have to be done, and surgery performed to ensure that the child is treated. It is recommendable that the parents receive counseling on how to handle their baby.

References

Dziegielewski, S. F. (2013). The changing face of health care social work: Opportunities and challenges for professional practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company.