As many as 4,000 incidents of Shaken Baby Syndrome are reported each year in pediatric hospitals across the county, yet only the most serious cases come to the attention of doctors. Recent research estimates that 2 to 3 children for every 100,000 under two may be shaken by their parents as a form of discipline. This means that for every child who dies or is admitted to an Intensive Care Unit with non-accidental head injuries, there may be as many as 152 children who are shaken but not identified or reported.
Boys are more frequently identified as victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome, though researchers do not fully understand why. Shaken baby cases are most frequently reported at around 2 months of age. Not surprisingly, hospitalizations for SBS begin to increase at around two weeks of age just as infant crying begins to increase. The majority of victims are infants under 6 months of age though children under two years are not uncommon.
While many men are nurturing and are wonderful fathers and caregivers, sometimes lack of experience caring for young babies or coping with infant crying can lead to tragic results. Reported cases of shaking show that fathers are responsible for half of these incidents. When mother's boyfriends and other male caregivers are added, we find that males account for over two-thirds of reported SBS cases.
Day care providers and babysitters account for 17% of reported cases and mothers for 12%. While the ages of these individuals vary, men in their late teens and early 20s are most frequently identified in cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Boys are more frequently identified as victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome, though researchers do not fully understand why. Shaken baby cases are most frequently reported at around 2 months of age. Not surprisingly, hospitalizations for SBS begin to increase at around two weeks of age just as infant crying begins to increase. The majority of victims are infants under 6 months of age though children under two years are not uncommon.While many men are nurturing and are wonderful fathers and caregivers, sometimes lack of experience caring for young babies or coping with infant crying can lead to tragic results. Reported cases of shaking show that fathers are responsible for half of these incidents. When mother's boyfriends and other male caregivers are added, we find that males account for over two-thirds of reported SBS cases.
Day care providers and babysitters account for 17% of reported cases and mothers for 12%. While the ages of these individuals vary, men in their late teens and early 20s are most frequently identified in cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome.