Shaken baby syndrome

When Bronwen Strembiski was a young mother, she recalled how the never-ending cry of her youngest son brought her to her wits’ end.

“I had a colicky son. It’s tiring (and) it wears on you,” she admitted. “I did come close to shaking my son (but) I was lucky enough to have people to call on for support.”

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is the most common cause of death among abused children zero to three years old, making up 13 per cent of family-related homicides against children in Canada from 2000 to 2009.

Research suggests SBS cases result when caregivers are unable to cope with persistent infant crying. Injuries sustained to the child’s head and neck when they are roughly shaken can result in permanent brain damage or death.

In light of National Mental Health Week celebrated earlier this week, Strembiski urges new parents to have a discussion about SBS, because in a moment of desperation they themselves can become the abuser.

“I am desperate, I could do it – that’s not something you want to admit as a parent or as a caregiver,” said Strembiski. “You don’t think anyone else is thinking it.”

The mother of two and owner of St. Albert-based Cocoon Childproofing explained many caregivers see shaking as an aggressive behaviour that they themselves would never turn to. However when you find yourself in that situation, it’s difficult to respond if you don’t have the effective coping mechanisms.

“The biggest thing I learned is that it’s okay if I put him in his crib and he just cries. He’s not going to hurt himself in his crib just crying, but I’m angry, I’m stressed, so I’m actually the threat at that moment.”

Babies cry for many reasons – they’re tired, hungry, sick, need their diaper changed, want to be held or in some cases they just want to be left alone, a reason Strembiski said a lot of parents aren’t aware of.

“Babies cry sometimes because they’re over stimulated. When they get home and have had all this stimulation that they don’t know how to process … sometimes they actually just want to be put down in their crib.”

According to Alberta Health Services, babies normally cry the most at about two months of age and less around the three to four month stage.

Parents need to acknowledge that sometimes their child will just keep crying no matter what they do – crying doesn’t always mean that something is wrong. The key however, is knowing how to react when it happens.

“Take a break, don’t shake” is one of the slogans used by the Alberta Network for Safe and Healthy Children to curb SBS cases in the province. When caregivers feel they are coming to the end of their rope, they are encouraged to put the baby in a safe place and walk away – whether it’s to another room, putting on music or calling a friend – making sure to check on the child every 10 to 15 minutes.

Infants that are subjected to shaking may develop permanent disabilities like blindness, paralysis, growth and development disabilities or mental disabilities. Violent shaking causes tearing or shearing of the blood vessels between the brain and the skull due to the membrane and the skull moving at different speeds in different directions.

Strembiski, who teaches classes on SBS, said what really hits the message home for her students is a demonstration – she asks caregivers to shake their heads as fast as they can.

“If you get a headache just shaking your head up and down rapidly, imagine the damage that’s going on within (the child).”

Damage to the baby can be done in as little as three to five seconds.

Experts recommend keeping a crying plan – with coping strategies, ways to soothe the baby, and contact information of people you can call for help.