Wellington City Libraries Palm Tree Blossoming of Our Children - Kia Puawai Ngā Tamariki - 10th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect

Shaken Baby Syndrome in New Zealand



Author

Dr Patrick Kelly, Dr Bridget Farrant


Speaker

Dr Patrick Kelly


Organisation

Starship Childrens Hospital, Auckland


Aim: To describe the prevalence of "shaken baby syndrome" in New Zealand.


Methods: Prospective identification of all infants less than 2 years old presenting with subdural bleeding in New Zealand from January 1 2000 to December 31 2002. Infants were identified following the method of the New Zealand Paediatric Surveillance Unit (NZPSU). The NZPSU sends every Paediatrician in New Zealand a report card every month. In the period of the study, if a Paediatrician notified an infant with subdural haemorrhage of any cause, they were sent a follow-up questionnaire by the investigator. Numbers were also checked against data from hospital discharges and deaths recorded by the New Zealand Health Information Service.


Results: Using the method of the NZPSU, seventy-eight infants under 2 years sustained subdural haemorrhages between 2000 and 2002. Forty-eight (61%) of these were thought to be
either due to child abuse, or undetermined. Thirty arose from other causes, mainly birth
injuries. These rates are compared with the data obtained from the New Zealand Health
Information Service, and a population prevalence calculated. The data relating to
ethnicity, age, mechanisms of injury and outcome (neurological disability or death) is
presented in detail.


Conclusions: "Shaken baby syndrome" in New Zealand has a prevalence comparable to that described in studies from the United Kingdom and North America. There is significant morbidity and mortality, and given the age group of the victims, an enormous long-term social and economic cost is incurred by the community. Prevention strategies are possible, and should be seriously considered.


Biography

Dr Patrick Kelly FRACP is a consultant Paediatrician at Starship Children's Hospital, Auckland. He has been Clinical Director of Te Puaruruhau (previously Whakaruruhau), the team within the Auckland District Health Board which deals with suspected child and youth abuse and neglect, since 1996. This team is now located within Puawaitahi, Australasia's first interagency "child advocacy centre".

Dr Kelly is also an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics at the University of Auckland School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He teaches extensively on child abuse and neglect, and is co- author of the Ministry of Health training package for General Practitioners on child abuse.

Dr Kelly has worked in the field of child abuse since 1992, is Chairperson of the Special Interest Group on Child Abuse and Neglect of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and was until recently a member of the National Child Mortality Review Committee.