Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a type of brain damage caused by violent shaking of a baby. It may occur in the form of shaking the baby's feet, shoulders or arms. As a result of the brain hitting the skull bone during a concussion, bleeding, bruising or swelling occurs in the brain. In addition, it may cause different consequences such as difficulty in breathing, unconsciousness, bleeding in the eye retina, vomiting, fractures in the skull or other bones, and bruising on the face (Carbaugh, 2004).
The act of shaking the baby violently usually occurs when the baby does not stop crying or when the caregiver becomes angry or feels exhausted. The important thing here is to remember that it is normal for babies to cry, but it should not be forgotten that the real problem is the reaction to crying. The caregiver's alcohol and substance abuse, depression or an unstable family environment, being abused as a child, having previously experienced or witnessed violence, and being a single parent are also risk factors for the possibility of the baby being shaken (CDC, 2012). In addition, babies from birth to one year of age, especially babies aged 2-4 months, have the highest risk for SBS due to longer crying and being shaken more easily (Miehl, 2005).
SBS is a preventable condition, here are a few things that are important. First, the caregiver must understand that babies should not be shaken and why shaking is dangerous. Instead of shaking the baby to quiet him down, the caregiver can pat the baby's back, rock him gently on his lap, offer the breast, or take the baby out in a stroller or car. When such calming methods are insufficient, it should be checked whether the baby is sick, hungry or gassy (CDC, 2012). Secondly, it is necessary to accept that it is natural for babies to cry. When babies are 2-3 weeks old, their daily crying duration begins to increase and this crying duration reaches its peak at 6-8 weeks of age. After the peak, the duration of crying gradually decreases and usually stops when the baby reaches the age of 3-4 (Lee et al., 2007).
Finally, being able to regulate anger in a healthy way in the face of crying is a preventive factor for SBS. When the caregiver feels angry or exhausted, he or she can take deep breaths and count to 10, call someone for emotional support, move away from the baby for a while by allowing the baby to cry safely and in a safe place, and remind themselves that the baby's crying is not their fault and that it is normal (CDC, 2012). .
SBS can lead to very serious consequences such as death, blindness, and cerebral palsy. Preventing SBS means preventing these serious consequences. If you, as a parent, think that you or a relative with a baby needs help with emotions such as anger or burnout towards the baby, you can get help from an expert regarding emotional regulation.
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