These simulations will be used to explore multiple injury hypotheses
although the primary purpose of our simulations is related to Shaken Baby Syndrome(SBS)
related injuries
Tissue damage patterns
from simple impact injury and repeated shakings are related but noticeable differences. Simulations will highlight the differences by
revealing patterns of internal strains and stresses associated with each type of loading. Clinicians
can use such patterns for diagnostic purposes.
Damage observed
during SBS is not merely the result of the brain and associated vessels being loaded beyond a threshold of acceleration, either linear or
rotational, during the whiplash effect of being shaken about the chest or shoulders. Rather, we hypothesize that the damage is a
result of cumulative loading.
The frequency of shaking that is obtainable by an adult human
shaking a baby by the chest or shoulders causes a relative rotational velocity between the skull and brain. As subsequent oscillations continue in both
strength and frequency, the difference in rotational
velocity between the skull and brain increase until the brain is literally
rotating in one direction while the skull is rotating directly opposite of the brain. At this point any connective tissue between the brain and skull
will be strained, possibly to failure,
and potentially the brain could crash into the skull itself