Easy Way to Know the Signs and Prevention

In some cases, there may be few signs of child abuse to indicate that a child is suffering from Shaken Baby Syndrome. In other cases, the signs that a child has been subjected to violent shaking may be very obvious and apparent. An infant who is suffering from Shaken Baby Syndrome may display many noticeable indicators.

The injuries that a child sustains from forceful shaking may cause a child to become lethargic and irritable. Some of the signs of child abuse in cases such as this may include vomiting, loss of appetite, and constipation. The child may have difficulty eating and may choke frequently. An infant who has been exposed to this type of abuse may have a hard time breathing and may experience frequent seizures or convulsions.

In many cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome, pools of blood will be visible behind the child's eyes. The child's pupils may not react to light and they may have a glassy appearance to them. One of the signs of child abuse that may be apparent in an infant who has suffered from violent shaking is noticeable swelling of the child's head. The infant's head will appear to be enlarged due to the swelling of the brain. The sutures on a child's skull are not fused at the time of birth and, due to brain swelling, the sutures may begin to separate. Semi-consciousness and unresponsiveness are also indicators that a child is suffering from Shaken Baby Syndrome.

If an infant is displaying any of these symptoms, it is essential that the child be brought to the hospital immediately. In many cases, a child will be unable to recover from these effects and signs of child abuse. However, the longer that a child remains without medical treatment, the less chance that a child has of recovering and the infant may die due to their injuries.

Shaken Baby Syndrome affects thousands of children every year. Many of the infants that are exposed to this type of abuse are killed, and most of the infants who survive suffer from lifelong physical consequences. In order to decrease the frequency of this form of abuse and the effects and signs of child abuse that accompany this syndrome, many organizations have dedicated a great deal of time and money to public education.

Many classes and programs have been developed in order to educate parents how to properly cope with the physical and emotional stresses of parenting. Shaken Baby Syndrome is completely preventable, and there are many methods that a parent may employ in order to avoid subjecting an infant to this abuse. A parent may choose to enroll in a parenting class that will teach them effective ways of dealing with stress. Many classes also focus on successful ways of soothing a child so that they will stop crying.

If an individual becomes tired and frustrated that a child will not stop crying, they have numerous options available to them. An individual can call a friend or a family member to come tend to the child for a while so that the individual can relax and recharge. If there is no one available to come care for the child, then it is more beneficial to ensure that the child is safe and then leave the room for a few minutes. This will give the individual time to cool off and will decrease the chance that they will take out their frustration on the child.

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