Forcefully shaking an infant is physical abuse, and can result in long-term disabilities, brain injury or death, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said on Monday.
Parents or caregivers holding down an infant’s limbs, arms, shoulder or chest tightly, or shaking their body vigorously in an attempt to stop them from crying or screaming might cause the child to vomit or lose consciousness, the administration said.
The mortality rate from abusive head trauma, including from shaking, blunt impact or a combination of the two in infants and young children, can be as high as 25 percent, it said.
Up to 80 percent of survivors of such abuse might develop permanent disabilities, such as blindness, paralysis, or learning or language impairments.
The Taiwan Pediatric Association said the term “shaken baby syndrome” was changed to “abusive head trauma” to avoid people’s misconceptions about “shaking” an infant or a small child, adding that it is a severe form of physical abuse, most common in infants aged three or younger, especially those aged four months to two years.
Parents should not be concerned about mild shaking from normal care or play, as head trauma usually occurs as a result of vigorous shaking or impact, it said.
The HPA recommends “three don’ts, and two dos” for parents to prevent head trauma in infants.
Do not hold infants under their armpits and shake them vigorously, do not throw infants in the air or forcefully toss them onto a bed, and do not slap an infant in the face or head.
As for “dos,” support an infant’s neck and head when picking them up, be patient when calming an infant down, and use toys, music or other non-forceful means to redirect their emotions, it said.
The HPA said its Children Health Handbook for parents has basic instructions for caring for infants, including more tips on how to soothe a crying baby and how to prevent head trauma.
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