More than 200 babies died or were injured due to being shaken in the past 10 years in the UK, an analysis by the BBC has found.
It found that out of 1,253 serious case reviews – when a child is considered to have been abused or neglected – published on the NSPCC’s website between 2008 and 2018, 229 involved a child being shaken.
One case in 2017 in Hull stated that an infant, known as Baby J to protect the child’s anonymity, died at four weeks old owing to head injuries associated with being shaken. Another in 2018 found a seven-week-old died from non-accidental injuries caused by shaking.
In the second case, the charity concluded that the link between “crying babies and non-accidental head injury” should be included in the core health promotion package offered to new parents.
“Shaken baby syndrome” – medically referred to as abusive head trauma (AHT) – describes the signs and symptoms resulting from the violent shaking of an infant.
Research suggests that the trigger often comes when parents lose control if a baby is crying becomes too much. If they are frustrated by their attempts to console the baby and stop the crying, they may lose control and grab the infant – either by the chest, under the arms, or by the arms – and shake them.
The resulting whiplash effect of shaking can cause fractures or result in bleeding in the baby’s brain, studies have found. Babies from newborn to four months are at greatest risk of injury from shaking.
Immediate consequences of shaking a baby may be trouble breathing, extreme irritability, vomiting, and seizures or fits. Long-term consequences may be learning and physical difficulties, cognitive impairment and death.
Shaking a baby can have these extreme consequences because babies’ heads are large and heavy, making up 25% of their total body weight. Their neck muscles are too weak to support their head and the blood vessels around their brains are more susceptible to tearing, than older children or adults.
“We know that many parents that do shake their baby don’t do it intentionally, and are doing it in the spur of the moment.”
- Helen Westerman, NSPCC
The BBC stated that the government does not have official figures of the number of cases of injury to babies through shaking, so the rate could be even higher.
Commenting on the BBC analysis, Helen Westerman, national safeguarding lead at the NSPCC, said: “We don’t know the full scale of the problem.
“We know that many parents that do shake their baby don’t do it intentionally, are doing it in the spur of the moment when something has just broken or gone wrong, and most parents want to look like they’re coping.”
A programme looking to support parents in Yorkshire focuses on parents who are vulnerable to losing control and shaking their baby if they are crying. The service, called ICON, states on its website. “Infant crying is normal and it will stop. Babies start to cry more frequently from around 2 weeks of age.
“Comfort methods can sometimes soothe the baby and the crying will stop. Is the baby hungry, tired or in need of a nappy change?
“It’s okay to walk away if you have checked the baby is safe and the crying is getting to you. After a few minutes when you are feeling calm, go back and check on the baby.”
For further information and advice, visit ICON’s website, which has advice for parents, or speak to your health visitor.
Useful websites and helplines:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email: help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0300 5000 927 (open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on www.rethink.org.