Shaken Baby Syndrome

[crossingstreet]

Hi All,

I know this is going to sound crazy. But I was traveling in a foreign country, and came across someone unexpectedly I knew from back home. This person rushed over to me and grabbed my head, kinda shaking it around in excitement to see me. I have always been worried about concussions and brain injuries. Do you think it is possible for an adult to get shaken baby syndrome (or the adult equivalent)? He kinda shook my head really hard and I was really taken aback, but kinda frozen and didn't do anything about it.

Now I am depressed and anxious.

Thank you for your help.

-Pat

[nomorepanic]

No Pat - you can't get it like that. It would have be really really violently shaken.

[venusbluejeans]

Shaken baby syndrome happens because a babies neck muscles are weak and they can not hold their head up so well..... this is why shaking babies is dangerous as their head is lose and floppy until those muscles strengthen... As an adult you have those muscles so it is just about impossible to have the same effect as it would on a baby. I have worked in childcare for coming up to 25 years now, so know quite a bit about it all

[venusbluejeans]

I should add that there is an adult version of shaking baby syndrome but only seen in people who have suffered domestic abuse and been repeatedly punched and thrown about by their partners.... not by someone shaking your head as a greeting

[crossingstreet]

Thank you very much for the reply. My friend grabbed my head directly, somewhat circumnavigating my neck muscles. He was shaking my head directly. Do you think that makes it worse, do you think?

[nomorepanic]

Nope

[venusbluejeans]

The neck muscles is why it happens..... it makes a babies head much much loser so shaking them, where ever they are held means that their head moves a LOT causing the damage. When you are an adultthe muscles hold the head in place how ever it is grabbed and shaken it physically cannot move so much because of the tightened muscles.... In fact if you are grabbed by the head itself like you was and shaken then your head would be a lot more stable than it would be if you were shaken from any other point as your head would not move so much.

You are fine, it has 100% done no damage to you.

[venusbluejeans]

Take a teddy bear.... grab the torso and shake it.... the head will move lots (the teddy has no neck muscles like a child) but then grab the head and shake it..... the head itself moves much less when you shake it by the head.

[crossingstreet]

Wow. Its insane how helpful that is to hear. I know its not great to seek reassurance for OCD. But boy, it is so helpful. So thank you so much.

[venusbluejeans]

You are welcome... as I say I am getting up to 25 years in childcare so I know a lot about the subject and how and why things happen.... glad it helped :)

[crossingstreet]

They are lucky to have you there. Again, really appreciate it. Love and Peace from America.

[venusbluejeans]

Thank you for your kind words :)