Medical Consensus

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    General Consensus

    In May 2018, The Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR), American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology (ASPNR), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), European Society of Neuroradiology (ESNR), American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), Swedish Paediatric Society, Norwegian Pediatric Association and Japanese Pediatric Society published a joint consensus statement on abusive head trauma/shaken baby syndrome. This is the most comprehensive and complete consensus statement published to date. The statement is published in Pediatric Radiology.

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    American Academy of Pediatrics

    AAP LogoThe AAP continues to affirm the dangers and harms of shaking infants, continues to embrace the “shaken baby syndrome” diagnosis as a valid subset of the AHT diagnosis, and encourages pediatric practitioners to educate community stakeholders when necessary.

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    The American Association of Neurological Surgeons

    AmAssocNeuroSurg LogoShaken Baby Syndrome (also known as Shaken Impact Syndrome) is a serious form of abuse inflicted upon a child. It usually occurs when a parent or other caregiver shakes a baby out of anger or frustration, often because the baby will not stop crying.

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    Canadian Joint Statement on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma

    CanPaedSoc LogoShaken Baby Syndrome is a collection of findings, all of which may not be present in any individual child with the condition. Injuries that characterize Shaken Baby Syndrome are intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in and around the brain); retinal hemorrhage (bleeding in the retina of the eye); and fractures of the ribs and at the ends of the long bones.

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    The American Academy of Ophthalmology

    AmerAcadOph LogoShaken Baby Syndrome is a subset of Abusive Head Trauma characterized by repetitive acceleration-deceleration forces with or without blunt head impact resulting in a unique complex of ocular, intracranial, and sometimes other injuries, usually in infants…it has become widely recognized as one of the most serious manifestations of physical child abuse.

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    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    CDC LogoAbusive head trauma (AHT), which includes shaken baby syndrome, is a preventable and severe form of physical child abuse that results in an injury to the brain of an infant or child. AHT is most common in children under age five, with children under one year of age at most risk. It is caused by violent shaking or blunt impact.

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    The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

    RoyalColOpht LogoRoyalColPedsChHealth LogoA child suspected of abusive head injury is referred by paediatricians to an ophthalmologist for evaluation. The incidence of abusive head injury in children is highest in infancy and less frequently seen in children over 3 years of age. Retinal haemorrhages have a high positive predictive rate for abusive head injury.

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    French Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

    logo sofmerSBS is a type of inflicted, non-accidental or abusive head injury caused by shaking (either alone or combined with an impact). It mainly occurs in babies under the age of one.  It is thought that 180 to 200 children per year are victims of this type of abuse in France, although this value is certainly an underestimate. Failure to diagnose SBS increases the likelihood of recurrence.

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    American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

    AAPOS Logo CLRSBS, a form of non-accidental trauma, occurs when babies are shaken. This shaking damages the brain and eyes and can lead to lifelong consequences including death. When there is suspected abuse an eye examination is performed to look for injury. The eye examination is only one aspect of an SBS diagnosis. An evaluation includes multiple experts who examine the child’s brain, bones, and environment. Alternate explanations for injuries are looked into and tested prior to diagnosing SBS.

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