A 3-month-old infant dies shortly after arrival to the emergency department. The infant has subdural and retinal hemorrhages but no external signs of trauma. The nurse should suspect:

Question

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Shaken-baby syndrome causes internal bleeding but may have no external signs. Violent shaking of the brain results in shearing forces that tears blood vessels and neurons. The baby will then present with subdural hematoma and retinal hemorrhage. This is not the characteristic injury pattern of a baby who has received an unintentional injury. With SIDS the baby usually presents to the emergency department with no signs of life. These findings are inconsistent with a congenital neurologic problem.

A 3-Month-Old Infant Dies Shortly After Arrival to the Emergency