Die Praxis der Begutachtung beim Schütteltrauma-Syndrom des Säuglings – eine Scheinkontroverse?

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a particular form of child abuse that has been known for almost 50 years and about which there are a large number of publications . According to prevailing doctrine, the combination of (hypoxic) encephalopathy, subdural hematoma, and retinal hemorrhage in a previously healthy infant is suspicious for the presence of SBS . Concomitant bone fractures are often present . Repeatedly, including most recently in this journal, considerable doubt has been cast on the validity of the consensus on SBS, even to the point of individual authors questioning whether shaking can actually be life-threatening to the infant or whether SBS exists as such . These outsider opinions always have a destructive effect on the assessment practice in court . The present article vigorously contradicts this relativization and is intended to contribute to the objectification of the discussion .