Shaken Baby Syndrome
What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?
Shaken Baby Syndrome occurs when an infant or toddler is forcefully shaken resulting in a serious brain injury. Shaken baby syndrome can result in permanent brain damage, or even death.
This injury typically occurs when a parent or caregiver severely shakes the child typically because they are angry or the child won’t stop crying. After brain injury occurs, common symptoms are irritability, seizures, abnormal breathing, and vomiting.
Preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome
All parents and caregivers get stressed out when dealing with infants who need constant care and attention. Here are some things you can do to help you calm down when you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed:
- Walk away. Put the infant in a safe place and leave the room, even if the baby is crying. Come back after 10 minutes when you are refreshed and have de-stressed.
- Move around. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that can make you happy and make you feel less stressed.
- Take a deep breathe. Taking deep breathes, your heart rate will slow down and makes you less stressed.
- Take care of yourself. Babies take a lot of attention, but you need to also pay attention to yourself. Set time yourself every week that is just for you, without the baby.
- Keep a journal. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you get things off your chest and help you feel relieved.
- Call a friend or ask for help. You are not alone. Call a friend or someone to talk to when you get frustrated. You can also ask for help from neighbors or relatives. Make a list of people you can reach out to and put it somewhere you can easily see.