Infant Brain Injuries - St. Louis Car Crash Attorney

When an infant, who does not possess strong neck muscle to control head movement is violently shaken, it can cause a brain injury. It is a leading cause of infant brain injuries in the United States. In this post,  our brain injury lawyer will share some facts about shaken baby syndrome and what the rights of a victim are.

Key facts on shaken baby syndrome

• The violent shaking of a baby forces the infant’s brain to move within the skull, and this can cause nerve damage, hemorrhaging, and even seizures

• The majority of the victims are infants less than 1 year of age

• The chances of mortality increase when the shaking episode ends with an impact

• Even a short episode of shaking, lasting less than 5 seconds, is enough to cause developmental problems and brain damage in the child

• Once the child is rescued from the shaking incident, they should be closely monitored, because the trauma can cause the brain to swell, and create pressure within the skull. This can increase the risk of permanent injury and even death.

Symptoms of shaken baby syndrome

If you have been involved in an auto accident and suspect your child has suffered a shaken baby syndrome, you should watch out for the following symptoms. In many cases, there are little or no evident signs of brain injury resulting. However, there are behavioral, cognitive and functional signs that the parents should be aware of. These include:

• Unresponsiveness

• Change in sleeping habits

• Vomiting

• Loss of consciousness

• Lack of Pulse

• Breathing issues

• Irritability to noise

• Uncontrolled crying

• Baby can’t be nursed and won’t eat

• Baby can’t be consoled

Other less common signs include sluggish behavior, bleeding in the eyes, larger than normal head size, swelling in the soft spot on the child’s head and drowsiness.

Complications associated with shaken baby syndrome

Shaken baby syndrome can cause many potentially fatal complications that can impact the child’s life permanently. Some of the common effects of shaken baby syndrome are:

• Traumatic Brain Injury

• Cerebral Palsy

• Blindness

• Cognitive Disorders

• Concussions

• Seizures

• Severe mental retardation

• Death of a Child

If your child has been involved in a St. Louis car accident, they are at a much higher risk of falling victim to shaken baby syndrome. If you are involved in an accident you should seek immediate medical attention for your baby. The doctors will carry out tests to understand the severity of the injury and start the treatment accordingly. Get in touch with our experienced attorneys 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a free case evaluation.