Definition of Shaken baby syndrome

Shaken baby syndrome: Characteristic injuries caused by violently shaking an infant. Shaken baby syndrome has distinctive features, including hemorrhage (bleeding) into the retina, hemorrhage and swelling of the brain, and patterned bruising and fractures (breaks) of the child's ribs or bones where they have been twisted from the shaking. Shaken baby syndrome is the most common cause of infant death due to head injuries and one of the most serious kinds of child abuse.