Experiments prove violent shaking fatal for babies

• Miles Kemp
• July 10, 2012 11:30PM

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Researchers, including world-renowned University of Adelaide pathology professor Roger Byard, showed that no head trauma other than shaking was needed to cause fatal head injuries. Picture: Calum Robertson

ANAESTHETISED lambs were shaken to death to help experts and accident researchers prove shaken babies can die without any visible head impact.

"Shaken baby syndrome", found in children under three, has long been a trait of domestic violence cases but remains the subject of debate.

Some doctors have challenged its validity and claimed it is over-reported by suspicious hospital staff.

Other doctors and child-protection advocates argue the incidence is under-reported at Australian hospitals and more needs to be done to recognise injuries caused by shaking.

The researchers, including world-renowned University of Adelaide pathology professor Roger Byard set out to show that no head trauma other than shaking was needed to cause fatal head injuries.

They concluded: "Shaken baby syndrome is a major cause of death and severe neurological dysfunction in children under three years of age, but it is debated whether shaking alone is sufficient to produce brain injury and mortality or whether an additional head impact is required. This study proved that shaking of a subset of lambs can result in death, without an additional head impact being required."

The Adelaide lamb experiment involved researchers manually shaking nine live animals with three failing to regain consciousness after anaesthetic wore off.

The remainder were put down humanely.