Often there are no obvious external physical signs, such as bruising or bleeding to indicate an injury. It is important to understand that SBS is the result of violent shaking that leads to a brain injury, which is much like what an adult may sustain in repeated car crashes. Shaking a baby can trigger a 'whiplash' effect that can lead to internal injuries including bleeding in the brain or in the eyes. Shaken Baby Syndrome, also known as inflicted Traumatic Brain Injury (iTBI) happens when a parent or caregiver shakes a child so hard that the unsupported head moves about violently, causing damage to the brain and blood vessels as the brain repeatedly hits the skull. SBS is the leading cause of child abuse death in the United States and it is 100 percent preventable. Every day three to four children are victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) with 20 percent of the cases proving fatal in the first few days after injury.
