Shaken Baby Syndrome Blog

Boyfriend of Child’s Mother Shakes Infant on Christmas Eve, Sending Baby to Hospital

Logan — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 21:53:59 +0000

A child abuse incident on Christmas Eve sent a 4-month-old child to a Reno hospital with a head injury, according to RGJ online. According to detectives, the baby’s mother said that she left the infant with her boyfriend for approximately 20 minutes. When she returned to her home, the baby was acting different, so she took the child to the hospital, where physicians determined the cause of the injuries to be shaken baby syndrome. The 26-year-old boyfriend reportedly shook the child because he was angry that the infant was crying, so he shook it violently to stop the crying. He was arrested Monday, December 28.

As a father of two and an attorney for child abuse and shaken baby syndrome, Chris Keane hopes for the full and fast recovery of this infant. For more information on shaken baby syndrome, child abuse, and how you can receive free help during your time of need, contact Chris Keane of the Keane Law Firm. 1-888-592-KIDS.

Infant on Life Support for Head Injuries After Shaken by Father

Logan — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:25:19 +0000

After being taken to a medical center by his grandmother for head injuries and difficulty breathing, a two-month-old boy was airlifted to a children’s medical center in Salt Lake City and placed on life support, according to The Spectrum online. The injuries sustained by the infant were consistent with shaken baby syndrome, and police arrested the infant’s father on child abuse charges after conducting an initial investigation. The man was reportedly watching other children as well as the infant when the incident occurred and resulted in traumatic head injuries for the boy. Medical personnel reported to visitors that the prognosis for the child was not good, and it was not clear whether the child could survive on his own without life support.

As an advocate for injured and abused children, Chris Keane hopes for the full and fast recovery of this infant. If you believe that your baby has been shaken and may be suffering from abusive head trauma, feel free to contact child injury lawyer Chris Keane with any questions you may have. The Keane Law Firm will provide you with free information and will help you acquire the resources your child needs to reach maximum recovery. Contact Chris Keane online or call 1-888-592-KIDS.

Unlicensed Daycare Provider Indicted After Infant Girl Suffers Serious Head Injuries From Shaken Baby Syndrome

Logan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:54:32 +0000

An Illinois woman who kept children in an unlicensed daycare facility at her home has been indicted in the shaken baby syndrome case of a child who was under her care, according to the Quad-City Times. The state Attorney General’s Office announced today that 38-year-old Karyn McCallister was indicted for shaking the four-month-old baby, which resulted in significant head injuries for the infant girl. The child was reportedly in McCallister’s care multiple times before the February 24th incident this year in which the daycare provider allegedly shook the girl due to the infant’s crying. As a result of the shaking, the baby suffered serious head trauma and multiple subdural hematomas (a traumatic brain injury in which blood gathers in part of the brain). In this case of abusive head trauma, McCallister has been charged with one count of reckless conduct (which could send her to prison for 1 to 3 years) and one count of aggravated battery of a child (which could result in 6 to 30 years in prison).

As a father of two and an attorney for daycare injuries and shaken baby syndrome, Chris Keane expresses his deepest sympathies to the family and friends of this baby girl, and he hopes for her full and fast recovery. For more information on shaken baby syndrome, daycare injuries, and how you can receive free help during your time of need, contact Chris Keane of the Keane Law Firm.

You may contact Chris Keane online or call 1-888-592-KIDS (1-888-592-5437).

Teacher Awarded Grant to Purchase Shaken Baby Syndrome Simulator Doll

Logan — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:55:16 +0000

Thanks to a grant program established in her area, a high school teacher in Texas will be able to purchase a life-size doll that simulates the effects of shaken baby syndrome on a child’s brain, according to the Times Record News. Named the IDEA grant, the prize is awarded to 21 teachers at nine different campuses in the Wichita Falls Independent School District who have the best ideas for a creative classroom project or need. Award recipients receive money to carry out creative project ideas or purchase the requested supplies for their classes. The winning teachers not only receive a check to fund their ideas, but also a balloon bouquet and a sign to post outside their classroom that announces their win.

The importance of this teacher’s project idea is key: to illustrate the devastating (and even surprising) effects even minor shaking can have on a baby’s brain. If you would like more information on shaken baby syndrome or how it affects young children, feel free to contact abusive head trauma attorney Chris Keane. As an advocate for injured and abused children, he will answer all your questions for free with compassion and professionalism. 1-888-592-KIDS.

Effects of Abusive Head Trauma on a Shaken Baby’s Eyes & Vision

Logan — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:01:59 +0000

There are many different negative effects of abusive head trauma (shaken baby syndrome) on a baby or child, including effects on the baby’s vision. Specifically, a shaken baby may suffer retinal hemorrhages (bleeding into the retina) and retinal detachment (the peeling away of the retina from the layer of support tissue beneath it). If not treated quickly, these effects on the eyes can lead to vision loss and even blindness, in more serious cases. When a baby is shaken, his or her brain is pitched back and forth, causing trauma inside the cranium. The parts of the eye most often damaged by this back-and-forth motion are the retina (the light-sensitive tissue of the eye on which a visual image is created), the vitreous humor (the gel between the retina and the lens), and sometimes the macula (the part of the eye containing structures that control central vision and clarity of vision). Another key abnormality of the eye to recognize when diagnosing shaken baby syndrome is traumatic retinoschisis, a condition in which the neurosensory layers of the retina split. Traumatic retinoschisis is unique to shaken baby syndrome; it has never been recognized in any other condition suffered by infants and young children.

For more information on the physical effects of abusive head trauma or shaken baby syndrome in general, feel free to contact child injury and shaken baby syndrome lawyer Chris Keane. Accustomed to working with the best medical experts in the field during abusive head trauma cases, he will answer all your questions for free, provide you with helpful resources, and help you find the medical care your child needs. Shaken baby syndrome is a serious matter, and Chris Keane is devoted to making life better for its victims and their families.

Click here to contact Chris Keane online or call 1-888-592-KIDS.

Relevant Link:

DocStoc: Visual Effects of Shaken Baby Syndrome

Parents Charged After Shaken Baby Death of Infant Daughter, Evidence of Abuse in Autopsy Report

Logan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:21:34 +0000

Following the death of their infant daughter, Oklahoma parents Willis Joey Lambert Jr. and Latrice Sharron Russell have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with shaking and fatally injuring the child, according to the News OK website. The siblings of the shaken baby reported to investigators that Lambert was frustrated with his own difficultly learning how to hold the infant girl, and he confessed that he fatally shook the baby because he could not get her dressed after bath time. According to an autopsy report, the infant died of a brain injury and had previously suffered five broken ribs. Since Lambert was reportedly a known child abuser, Russell has been charged with failing to protect her daughter from him.

Wrongful death from shaken baby syndrome is something no child should have to suffer, and no caregiver or family member should have to live with the burden that a child’s fatal injuries may have been prevented. As an advocate for families who have lost children due to shaken baby syndrome and other cases of injury or abuse, Chris Keane is familiar with the indescribable pain and suffering experienced after tragedy, and he expresses his deepest sympathies to the family of the young victim in this incident. For free resources, information, and answers to any questions regarding wrongful death or shaken baby syndrome, feel free to contact Chris Keane online or by phone at 1-888-592-KIDS.

Surgeons Place Drains in Baby’s Head After Instance of Shaken Baby Syndrome

Logan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:58:33 +0000

A two-month old baby whose father admitted to shaking him made it through surgery yesterday, November 19, according to NBC’s WOWT website. Although the infant’s grandmother reported that the surgery went well, baby Jayden Roland will remain in I.C.U. at Children’s Hospital for a least a couple more days as he recovers from the trauma. His 17-year-old father, Marcus Bass, was arrested last week and admitted to police that he shook young Jayden because he could not get the baby to stop crying. In the incident, baby Jayden suffered traumatic injuries, creating the need for serious surgery in which doctors placed two drains inside his head to decrease pressure and swelling. To help with high medical costs, the baby’s family set up a fund in his name.

Surgery is often required after injuries from shaken baby syndrome, among other necessary treatments and invasive procedures. Abusive head trauma (the newly suggested term for shaken baby syndrome) is extremely serious. If you have or know a child who has suffered from abusive head trauma, do not hesitate to contact Chris Keane for important resources, answers to your questions, and help finding the best medical experts. 1-888-592-KIDS.

Relevant Link:

Update: Shaken Baby Jayden’s Surgery Successful

5-Week-Old Boy Hospitalized for Shaken Baby Syndrome, 19-Year-Old Father Arrested

Logan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:58:51 +0000

A 19-year-old father from Missouri was arrested after his infant was found with bleeding of the brain and other injuries caused by shaken baby syndrome (also called abusive head trauma), according to the NWA online website. The 5-week-old boy was hospitalized Saturday at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield and was reported to be in critical condition after his mother observed that he was experiencing difficulty breathing and took him to Mercy Medical Center.

According to the article, father Zachary Campbell told police that he was stressed from lack of sleep caused by the infant’s crying. He reportedly told investigators that he shook his son because the baby was crying.

Relevant Link:

Report: Baby Hospitalized After Apparent Shaking

Treatment for Shaken Baby Syndrome | CA Abusive Head Trauma Attorney

Logan — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:08:48 +0000

Although treatment for shaken baby syndrome varies depending on the specific situation and other factors, including the age of the child and the extent and type of injuries involved, some of the immediate treatments are relatively common among shaken baby syndrome victims. An infant or child who has been shaken should be taken and admitted to a hospital as soon as possible, where doctors will closely observe, monitor, and treat the baby. If physicians see signs of brain swelling and breathing problems, they will send the baby to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU) for respiratory support (in the form of oxygen therapy or a ventilator), since such problems may lead to a stroke or dead brain cells. Sometimes a shaken baby may need to undergo surgery to treat brain swelling and internal bleeding. In many instances, doctors may need to drain the blood around the brain to prevent future brain damage.

In addition to the use of a breathing machine or surgery, medicine may be prescribed to prevent seizures and decrease brain swelling. If necessary, doctors may place shunts where appropriate to move fluid from certain parts of the body. If your child’s brain injuries are severe or life-threatening, he or she may require more time in the hospital for treatment. An IV (short for intravenous fluids) may be required to keep body fluids and salts under control, or a tube for emptying or feeding the stomach may be needed.

Upon evaluation of the degree of injury or other injuries sustained, doctors may administer other treatment to the shaken baby. To diagnose head injuries more definitively, doctors may call for brain scans (like MRIs and CTs) or extensive evaluations of the eyes and brain. Other injuries from the abuse are evaluated and treated, as well, such as broken bones, cuts, or seizures.

The few treatments described here (not a comprehensive list) reveal just how serious shaken baby syndrome is. If you believe your child has been shaken or you have any questions regarding abusive head trauma, seek immediate medical attention, and feel free to contact shaken baby syndrome attorney Chris Keane for helpful resources in your time of need. Contact Chris Keane via the web or call 1-888-592-KIDS.

Relevant Links/ Resources:

Keane Law Firm | What Kind of Treatment is Common After Shaken Baby Syndrome?

PDR Health | How is Shaken Baby Syndrome Treated?

WebMD | Shaken Baby Syndrome: Treatment Overview

Medicine Net | What are the Treatments for Shaken Baby Syndrome?

NINDS | Is There Any Treatment?

Licensed Day Care Provider Charged for Shaken Baby Death

Logan — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:27:17 +0000

A day care provider from Talbot County, Maryland, has been arrested in connection with the shaken baby death of a nine-month old boy she cared for in her home, according to the WBOC 16 news website. Police say that 911 received a call from Gail Dobson, 52, on September 2, who requested an ambulance and stated that the baby was experiencing difficulty breathing. When paramedics arrived, baby Trevor Ulrich, 9 months old, was in full cardiac arrest. Despite efforts from two hospitals, Little Trevor was pronounced dead at a children’s hospital the next day. According to the autopsy, the child died of inflicted head trauma, an injury caused by shaken baby syndrome, and the death was ruled a homicide. Upon investigation and review of medical evidence, authorities determined that Trevor sustained his fatal injuries while under Dobson’s care. As a result, Dobson has been charged with manslaughter, several counts of child abuse, assault, and reckless endangerment. She is currently being held on a $750,000 bond in Maryland’s Talbot County Detention Center.

Dobson was a licensed day care provider who only watched baby Trevor for two days, yet she allegedly inflicted trauma on the child’s head, causing a fatal case of shaken baby syndrome.

As a shaken baby syndrome attorney and father of two, Chris Keane expresses his deepest sympathies to the family and friends of baby Trevor. Although nothing can compensate for the tragic and indescribably difficult loss of a child, certain measures can be taken to help surviving family members as they go through the grieving process. For more information on shaken baby syndrome, wrongful death, and how you can receive free help during your time of need, contact Chris Keane of the Keane Law Firm.

You may contact Chris Keane online or call 1-888-592-KIDS (1-888-592-5437).

Relevant Link:

Talbot County Day Care Provider Charged in Infant’s Death