Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Prevalent Danger

"SBS is usually diagnosed after babies have been shaken by their parents or caregivers to discipline them," says Dr. Palmer. "Even though a parent thinks he's shaking the child only mildly, he doesn't realize what damage he can cause. Shaking a newborn is akin to having the same effect as when a boxer receives a very hard blow to his head—the brain knocks against the back of the skull."

"With shaking, the blood vessels between the brain's surface and the sinuses will tear and cause hemorrhaging of the brain and/or bleeding behind the eyes. Bleeding in the membrane space around the brain, fractures, and bruising also appear in SBS cases. The minds of children who are constantly shaken are fuddled, they get convulsions very easily, and they become irritable and inconsolable."