Causes
Babies have weak neck muscles and often struggle to support their heavy heads. If a baby is forcefully shaken, his or her 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.
Shaken baby syndrome isn’t usually caused by bouncing a child on your knee, minor falls or even rough play.
Risk factors
The following things may make parents or caregivers more likely to forcefully shake a baby and cause shaken baby syndrome:
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Unrealistic expectations of babies
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Young or single parenthood
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Stress
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Domestic violence
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Alcohol or substance abuse
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Unstable family situations
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Depression
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A history of mistreatment as a child