What can result from violently shaking a baby?

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Violently shaking a baby can indeed lead to severe consequences, including bruising, swelling, and bleeding, particularly within the brain and eyes. This condition, commonly referred to as Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), occurs when the baby's head is violently moved back and forth, causing the brain to move within the skull. This movement can lead to bruising of the brain tissue and bleeding around the brain or in the eyes due to the fragility of a baby's developing brain and blood vessels.

Understanding the risks associated with shaking a baby is crucial for preventing serious injuries. Options such as fractures in the limbs, temporary paralysis, and respiratory distress can occur in various situations involving trauma or as a secondary result of severe neurological damage, but they are not the direct and most common results specifically associated with the violent shaking of an infant. The primary and most immediate impacts seen are, in fact, bruising, swelling, and bleeding, making this the most accurate answer to choose.

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