Findley, Rossant et Al. Shaken Baby Syndrome

Since the early 2000s, a growing body of scientific studies in neuropathology, neurology, biomechanics, statistics, criminology and psychology has cast doubt on the validity of the automatic diagnosis of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), more recently termed Abusive Head Trauma (AHT). It has been shown that accidental short falls, as well as a wide range of medical conditions, might cause the same symptoms. Nevertheless, mischaracterized diagnoses and wrongful convictions continue to this day. Bringing together contributions from a multidisciplinary expert panel of 32 professionals across 8 countries in 16 different specialties, this landmark book tackles the highly controversial topic of SBS, which lies at the intersection of medicine, science, and law. With comprehensive coverage across multiple disciplines, it explains the scientific evidence challenging SBS and advances efforts to evaluate how deaths and serious brain injuries in infants should be analysed and investigated.

• The first book to cover the Shaken Baby Syndrome controversy in a collaborative approach, presenting evidence-based analyses from a multidisciplinary and global team of authors
• Investigates the claim that certain intracranial findings can alone (with no or minimal evidence of external trauma) be used as proof that shaking) has occurred and that this is an intentional (or knowing or reckless or negligent) and hence abusive act
• Covers the full range of topics and issues, including reviews of radiological and neuropathological findings in alleged SBS cases, some of their known medical causes, biomechanical and epidemiological aspects, police interrogation techniques and false confessions, cognitive biases, evidence standards in courts, and the challenges of overturning wrongful convictions