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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFor parents and other caregivers, factors that may increase the risk of inflicting shaken baby syndrome include:
- Unrealistic expectations of babies
- Young or single parenthood
- Stress
- Domestic violence
- Alcohol or substance abuse
- Unstable family situations
- Depression
- A history of mistreatment as a child
Also, men are more likely to inflict shaken baby syndrome than are women.
References
- Abusive head trauma: Shaken baby syndrome. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Abusive-Head-Trauma-Shaken-Baby-Syndrome.aspx. Accessed Aug. 5, 2011.
- Never shake your baby! March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/prematurity/28127.asp. Accessed Aug. 5, 2011.
- NINDS shaken baby syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/shakenbaby/shakenbaby.htm. Accessed Aug. 5, 2011.
- Christian C, et al. Epidemiology, mechanisms, and types of abusive head injury in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Christian C, et al. Evaluation and diagnosis of abusive head injury in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 1, 2011.
- Barnes PD. The imaging of nonaccidental injury and the mimics: Issues and controversies in the era of evidence-based medicine. Radiologic Clinics of North America. 2011;49:205.
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