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Eye M.D.s Urge Parents to Request Eye Exam in Shaken Baby Cases |
SourceAmerican Academy of Ophthalmology ForumsHealth, Safety, Nutrition and KidsRelated ArticlesLook Beyond the Obvious for Telltale Signs of Child AbuseInformation and news releases furnished by the members of PR Newswire, who are responsible for their fact and content. |
SAN FRANCISCO, April 21, 1999 --Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), a
form
of child abuse in which external signs of violence are missing, is often
detected in a medical eye exam. The American Academy of Ophthalmology
encourages parents and caretakers to learn the symptoms of SBS and
request an
eye exam if they suspect abuse. (April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.)
A child that has been violently shaken back and forth will appear stunned and glassy-eyed, or sluggish and dopey. Unexplained bruises, vomiting, lack of appetite, inability to lift or turn head, difficulty in breathing, and seizures are all possible signs of abuse. According to pediatric ophthalmologist Michael R. Redmond, M.D., the subtle symptoms of SBS are often mistakenly attributed to a viral illness, upset stomach or colic. Dr. Redmond explains, "Hidden signs of abuse can often be uncovered by an eye exam. One of the most characteristic injuries of shaken baby syndrome is retinal hemorrhaging. More than 75 percent of all severely shaken babies have retinal hemorrhages, a symptom rarely seen with an accidental head injury." The consequences of SBS are serious. Only 15 percent of victims escape without any permanent damage. The other 85 percent suffer a variety of injuries including blindness, hearing loss, learning disabilities, irreversible brain damage, paralysis or seizures, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, even death. Dr. Redmond advises parents and physicians, "An eye exam should be requested if a parent or doctor suspects the child has been violently shaken. A child's well-being is at stake in every case of suspected abuse. Reporting abuse usually does protect children. It's one way we can all save lives." The term "shaken baby syndrome" was first used by pediatric radiologist John Caffey, M.D. in 1972 to describe the type of head trauma caused by violently shaking an infant's head back and forth, causing bruising and bleeding in the brain, spinal cord or eye. From Nevada to South Carolina, abusers are being convicted for SBS. Sentences range from felonious child abuse to first degree murder. |
