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Retinal hemorrhage may indicate shaken baby syndrome
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PHILADELPHIA — Specific types of retinal hemorrhage may show whether an infant is a victim of abuse, a speaker said here.
 Alex V. Levin |
Alex V. Levin, MD, MHSc, described clinical signs of shaken baby syndrome during the inaugural Richard A. Ellis Lecture at the Wills Eye Institute Alumni Conference.
Accurately identifying and reporting retinal signs of shaken baby syndrome may result in serious clinical and legal consequences, Dr. Levin said.
"That statement, written on a consult, has huge implications," he said. "This is where the pedal hits the metal, so to speak. We need to use some science in an effort to understand what this finding really means. ... Not all retinal hemorrhages are the same."
Research points to retinal hemorrhages caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration, with or without the infant's head impacting a wall or another object. Such rapid, violent motion produces unique anatomic and biochemical markers, Dr. Levin said.
Dr. Levin advised colleagues to report all retinal hemorrhages, even those that may not be specific for abuse.