Has only six months old, but has had to be hospitalized for the neurological symptoms that it presents, as a consequence, probably, of having been shaken by some adult in charge.
This is, at least, what a Court of Murcia is investigating since January 1, when the girl was admitted to the Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital, in Murcia, for alleged ill-treatment.
The medical team has had to declare
As we read in La Opinión de Murcia, the pediatrician who treated the girl in the emergency room and two ophthalmologists have been called to testify to explain her version of the events from the moment the baby arrived at the service.
According to reports, the girl could have been the victim of abuse, observing that she suffered typical symptoms of 'Shaken Baby Syndrome': subdural hematoma, retinal hemorrhage and cerebral edema. But not only that, according to doctors, the girl had foot wounds as a result of a bite.
What is Shaken Baby Syndrome?
It is also known as shaken baby syndrome and covers all the consequences that a baby can suffer after being shaken by his father or by his mother (or by an adult in charge). These consequences can be from a mild concussion to head and neck injuries that end up causing life-long effects, or even death to the baby.
Without going any further, this syndrome is the leading cause of death in cases of head trauma due to abuse, and it is estimated that in the United States there are 1,200 and 1,400 cases of children with injuries or death For this reason every year.
The prevalence is higher in the first year, and the average age is nine months old. What happens is that, while it is shaken, not having enough strength to support its head, the baby's brain moves back and forth inside the skull and can cause eye damage, brain damage, spinal cord damage, developmental delay and a long etcetera derived from all possible injuries to a still immature brain.
Well, when assessing the girl they saw that she had neurological symptoms and damage to the retina, and therefore it was the same doctors who gave the warning that the child could have been seriously mistreated.
But ... could it be that they hadn't done it?
A recent study that we mentioned a few months ago revealed that there are cases in which the symptoms seem to show that there is abuse for shaking or shaking the baby, without actually happening that event. That is, there are possible situations, possible accidents, which would cause the same symptoms without the parents actually shaking the baby.
Under this premise, it should be the investigation that determines the guilt of the parents, although the fact that he had a bite in his foot, and that according to doctors, when communicating to the parents that the little girl was serious they did not seem to be moved, does not leave them in a good place.
In any case, what interests us above all is to show how serious it can be to lose your temper and act against the baby, instead of looking for other strategies to calm the nerves and anxiety. That is why we explain below how we can proceed in case the baby's crying can lead us to lose patience.
Never shake your baby
As dangerous as it may be, the logical recommendation given to parents is that you should never shake your baby and always keep in mind what are the possible consequences of doing so. To do this, it is recommended that they do what is possible and impossible to try to regain calm, and that let the baby cry alone in a safe place While looking for help.
In this regard and as a prevention, the US government, through its Medline health page, recommends the following:
- Never shake a baby or child, even when playing or out of anger. Even shaking it gently can become a violent shake, when you are angry.
- Do not carry your baby during an argument.
- If you start to get upset or angry with your baby, place the baby in the crib and leave the room. Try to calm down. Call someone to help you.
- Call a friend or family member to come and stay with the child if you feel out of control.
- Talk to your pediatrician to assess if the baby's crying has a medical reason.
- Seek the help of a therapist and attend classes on parenting.
- Do not ignore the signs if you suspect that a child is a victim of abuse in your home or in the home of someone you know.
Summarizing, the important thing is to avoid it, that it doesn't happen. Let him cry if necessary and try to regain calm. If we are not able, for whatever reason, it is important to try to find someone to serve you. And if it is not possible, it is better don't catch it and wait for us to be able to do it without harming him.
Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | Literature review on shaken or shaken baby syndrome, In shaken baby syndrome the number of guilty women equals that of men, When your baby cries so much that you are about to lose your mind
