Pediatric abusive head trauma: case report and literature review

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2317-2770.v26i2p51-56

Keywords:

Shaken Baby Syndrome, Craniocerebral Trauma, Child Abuse

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe a case of child abuse with abusive head trauma, popularly known as shaken baby syndrome. A literature review on the subject was conducted through a search in databases. The search results were restricted to publications from the last ten years. The main finding of the reported case of abusive head trauma was the presence of the pathophysiological triad of this condition, consisting of subdural hematoma, cerebral edema and retinal hemorrhage. The main results are the substitution of the term shaking baby syndrome for abusive head trauma, the importance of awareness of this condition due to its severity, and the lack of epidemiological data on abusive head trauma in Brazil.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Alice Cunha Lee, Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Aluna do curso de medicina da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul (Câmpus São Paulo) e da Liga de Medicina Legal e Perícias Médicas (Lamelp)

  • Ana Luísa de Camargo, Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Aluna do curso de medicina da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul (Câmpus São Paulo) e da Liga de Medicina Legal e Perícias Médicas (Lamelp)

  • Clarissa Henriques de Lucena, Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Aluna do curso de medicina da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul (Câmpus São Paulo) e da Liga de Medicina Legal e Perícias Médicas (Lamelp)

  • Leandro Gouveia dos Santos, Superintendência da Polícia Técnico-Científica, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Médico Legista da Equipe de Perícias Médico-Legais de Santo André.

  • Renata Bacic Palhares, Superintendência da Polícia Técnico-Científica, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Diretora Técnica do Núcleo de Anatomia Patológica/ Centro de Exames e Análises periciais (NAP/CEAP) do Instituto Médico Legal do Estado de São Paulo.

  • Ana Maria do Amaral Antônio, Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

    Professora do Laboratório Morfofuncional da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul - USCS (Câmpus São Paulo), Professora da Liga de Medicina Legal e Perícias Médicas (Lamelp) e Médica Legista do Núcleo de Anatomia Patológica/ Centro de Exames e Análises Periciais (NAP/CEAP) do Instituto Médico Legal do Estado de São Paulo.

References

Elinder G, Eriksson A, Hallberg B, Lynoe N, Sundgren PM, Rosén M, Engström I, Erlandsson BE. Traumatic shaking: the role of the triad in medical investigations of suspected traumatic shaking. Acta Paediatr. 2018;107(472):3-23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.14473

Berkowitz CD. Physical abuse of children. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(17):1659-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1701446

Shekdar K. Imaging of abusive trauma. Indian J Pediatr. 2016;83(6):578-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-016-2043-0

Lopes NRL, Williams LCA. Avaliação do conhecimento sobre trauma craniano violento por pais brasileiros. Psic.: Teor. e Pesq. 2016;32(2):1-11. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0102-3772e32223

Barr RG. Preventing abusive head trauma resulting from a failure of normal interaction between infants and their caregivers. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2012;109(2):17294-301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1121267109

Lopes NRL, Eisenstein E, Williams LCA. Abusive head trauma in children: a literature review. Pediatr (Rio J). 2013;89(5):426-33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedp.2013.01.012

Paiva WS, Soares MS, Amorim RLO, de Andrade AF, Matushita H, Teixeira MJ. Traumatic brain injury and shaken baby syndrome. Acta Med Port [Internet]. 2011 [Acesso em 2021 set. 14];24(5):805-8. Disponível em: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22525633/

Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn T, Boos S, Spivack B, Bilo RAC, Rijn RRV. Abusive head trauma Part II: radiological aspects. J Pediatr. 2011;171:617–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-011-1611-6

Levin AV. Retinal hemorrhage in abusive head trauma. Pediatrics. 2010;126(5):961-70 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-1220

Vinchon M. Shaken baby syndrome: what certainty do we have? Childs Nerv Syst. 2017;33(10):1727–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-017-3517-8

Nadarasa J, Deck C, Meyer F, Willinger R, Raul JS. Update on injury mechanisms in abusive head trauma - shaken baby syndrome. Pediatr Radiol. 2014;44(4):565-70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-014-3168-9

Published

2021-12-29

Issue

Section

Case report

How to Cite

1.
Lee AC, Camargo AL de, Lucena CH de, Santos LG dos, Palhares RB, Antônio AM do A. Pediatric abusive head trauma: case report and literature review. Saúde ética justiça [Internet]. 2021 Dec. 29 [cited 2026 Jan. 4];26(2):51-6. Available from: https://revistas.usp.br/sej/article/view/185548