Shaken Baby Syndrome is a serious & horrible type of child abuse. It only takes 3 seconds to ruin a life!The stories of Mekenna, Alyssa, and Camryn: all victims of SBS.
Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) or Battered Baby Syndrome is a form of child abuse that occurs when an abuser violently shakes an infant or small child, creating a whiplash-type motion that causes acceleration-deceleration injuries. The injury is estimated to affect between 1,200 and 1,600 children every year in the USA.[1] It is common for there to be no external evidence of trauma.[2]
The concept of SBS was initially described by Dr. John Caffey, a radiologist.[3][4]
SBS is often fatal and can cause severe brain damage, resulting in lifelong disability. Estimated death rates (mortality) among infants with SBS range from 15 to 38%; the median is 20–25%.[2] Up to half of deaths related to child abuse are reportedly due to shaken baby syndrome.[5] Nonfatal consequences of SBS include varying degrees of visual impairment (including blindness), motor impairment (e.g. cerebral palsy) and cognitive impairments.