title: [Shaken baby syndrome].
abstract: Shaken baby syndrome is a serious form of physical child abuse, which is frequently overlooked. It should be suspected in all children younger than one year of age, who present with drowsiness, coma, seizures or apnoea. A combination of subdural haematomas and retinal haemorrhages with minimal or no trauma and no coagulopathy is almost pathognomonic of the syndrome. The findings are caused by shaking with or without impact. Physical signs of violence are often absent and the syndrome may easily be mistaken for serious infection or seizure disorder. Many cases are fatal or lead to severe disability including blindness, cerebral palsy, mental retardation or epilepsy in about 60% of the children. There are many unresolved problems regarding diagnosis, pathophysiology, treatment, prognosis, prophylaxis and legal actions. We discuss these problems and in addition present eleven children with shaken baby syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Børneafdelingen, Amtssygehuset i Glostrup.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sandgren
authors.forename: F U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Knudsen
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006408:Hematoma, Subdural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D013577:Syndrome; D014754:Violence
vernacular_title: Shaken baby syndrome--ruskede børn.