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DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-2)
Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)
Easy

When a small child is shaken by the arms or shoulders in a repetitive, violent condition is called?

Appeared in: DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-2)

Explanation

  • Shaken baby syndrome, or abusive head trauma (AHT), is the medical term for the injuries sustained by an infant or young child who has been subjected to violent, repetitive shaking.
  • The mechanism involves acceleration-deceleration forces that cause the brain to move within the skull, as infants have weak neck muscles and a relatively large head.
  • This trauma leads to a classic triad of injuries: subdural hematoma (bleeding in the brain), retinal hemorrhages (bleeding in the eyes), and encephalopathy (brain swelling/damage).
  • The presentation can be nonspecific, ranging from irritability and vomiting to seizures, unresponsiveness, or death.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder of the body's connective tissues. It is not caused by trauma or abuse.
  • Option B: Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric factitious disorder where someone feigns illness. Munchausen syndrome by proxy is a form of abuse where a caregiver fabricates or induces illness in a child, but it does not describe the specific mechanism of shaking.
  • Option C: De Quervain syndrome (also known as 'mother's wrist' or 'gamer's thumb') is a tenosynovitis of the wrist, a repetitive strain injury affecting the tendons on the thumb side. It is not related to child abuse or head trauma.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Identification of Shaken Baby Syndrome (Abusive Head Trauma) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Nurses have a critical role in identifying potential cases of child abuse. Recognizing the signs of shaken baby syndrome (e.g., irritability, lethargy, seizures, inconsistent history from caregivers) is a vital patient safety responsibility.
  • In India, as in many countries, healthcare professionals are mandated reporters. If a nurse suspects child abuse, they have a legal and ethical obligation to report it to Child Protective Services and/or local law enforcement to protect the child from further harm.
  • A key nursing intervention is parent education on the dangers of shaking a baby and providing strategies for coping with a crying infant to prevent such tragedies.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, analyze the question stem to identify the core action: a 'small child' is 'shaken' in a 'repetitive, violent' manner.
  • This is a factual recall question that asks for the specific medical term for this action and its consequences.
  • Evaluate each option based on its definition.
  • Option A, Marfan syndrome, is a genetic disorder.
  • Option B, Munchausen syndrome, is a psychiatric disorder involving feigned illness.
  • Option C, De Quervain syndrome, is a wrist tendon inflammation.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Identification of Shaken Baby Syndrome (Abusive Head Trauma)
  • Stem keywords: small child, shaken, repetitive, violent
  • Lead-in keywords: is called
  • Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

Question ID

Qbkud7iQNSlN3TzIKDdRSW

Reference Book

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 159-161

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 12981-12983

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