Children that are below a year with regard to age have sensitive brains as well as delicate blood vessels and a weak neck. Any kind of abuse can lead to the damage of this vital brain organ and lead to severe complications that will follow them for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that 1,400 children are treated for something called shaken baby syndrome all over the country, and a staggering 35 percent that suffer this kind of physical trauma sadly pass on.
What Is Shaken Baby Syndrome?
Shaken baby syndrome refers to a form of child abuse where the baby’s body is violently shaken, or the baby gets dropped, leading to head trauma. Since the brain of a child less than a year old is still developing, it can rapidly accelerate and decelerate inside the skull, leading to bleeding, brain trauma, burst blood vessels, strokes and motor problems.
Shaken baby syndrome is a condition that’s mostly perpetrated by males. According to statistics, 65 to 90 percent of perpetrators are male, and more often than not, they are people that are in close contact with the family, or are family members.
What to Do If You Suspect Child Abuse
If your suspect that your child has suffered some kind of child abuse, there are some things you should look out for that we’ll take a look at shortly. However, it is important that you call the police and rush your kid to the hospital or call EMS so that tests can be done, as well as surgery if there’s internal bleeding as time is of the essence in such cases.
Here are some of the signs and symptoms of shaken baby syndrome:
- Vomiting
- Uncontrolled crying
- Weak or no pulse
- Unresponsiveness
- One pupil being larger than the other
- Retinal bleeding leading to one or two red eyes
- Inability to follow visual stimuli with their eyes
- Unexplained welts and bruises on the child’s head
- Problems when it comes to lowering or raising the head
- Stubbornness
- Inability to eat
Left untreated, shaken baby syndrome may lead to cerebral palsy, language difficulty, slow reaching of developmental milestones, speech and walking problems, and memory issues. Child abuse cases can be tried twice: as civil and criminal cases. Our child abuse attorneys will present evidence in front of a judge that the person caring for the child failed to use reasonable care while providing their services as a caretaker, whether they were employed by a daycare center or by you as a babysitter.
With the damages you’ll receive from this claim, you’ll be able to provide your child with timely treatment and rehabilitation that may stem the effects of shaken baby syndrome. Please call us today on 877-561-3004 for timely legal help.