Silenced Angels: The Medical, Legal, and Social Aspects of Shaken Baby Syndrome - Hardcover

Peinkofer, James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0865693137 ISBN 13: 9780865693135

Publisher: Praeger, 2002

Synopsis

Silenced Angels: The Medical, Legal and Social Aspects of Shaken Baby Syndrome delves into the realms of child abuse that has never been explored before in such detail. The book examines how the physical assault of violent shaking on a young body can lead to a lifetime of despair or even death. Every important detail of this tragic form of child abuse is analyzed, providing the reader a more definitive understanding of the condition known as SBS. This is the first book written exclusively about SBS, which is 100% preventable. SBS cases can be frequently misdiagnosed and are more frequently under-investigated and poorly prosecuted, leading to a sense of injustice among families and child abuse prevention advocates.

The author breaks through the barriers of miscomprehension, misdiagnosis, and misrepresentation that typically lead to further tragedy and injustice in SBS-related cases. Advocates for child abuse prevention will gain greater information about SBS to further their cause of establishing hospital and community-based prevention and education programs. Parents and family members of SBS victims will find this book indispensable when seeking medical and legal assistance with their cases.

About this title

About the Author

JAMES R. PEINKOFER is a licensed clinical social worker on the pediatric unit at a midwestern hospital./e He has trained hundreds of professionals across the country about all aspects of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) and has consulted on SBS-related cases with law enforcement professionals and prosecuting attorneys in a variety of states. He has his own health care consultation agency specializing in SBS prevention and education.

Reviews

The "shaken-baby syndrome" is a serious public health problem that escaped the radar of the medical, legal, and larger community for far too long. Silenced Angels sends the message that this syndrome is a completely identifiable and preventable public health problem. The author, James Peinkofer, a clinical social worker, provides a fresh, multifaceted perspective on this problem. The book has three sections. The first discusses the medical aspects of the shaken-baby syndrome. It covers physical manifestations and short-term and long-term consequences. This section also delves into the history of the shaken-baby syndrome as documented by the medical community, with cases dating from as early as 1860. Peinkofer highlights the evolution of medical thought regarding the syndrome. It seems that for years, physicians misinterpreted symptoms and outcomes of the shaken-baby syndrome as manifestations of other ailments. The book also focuses on widely believed myths and controversial discussions surrounding the diagnosis of the syndrome. In closing this section, Peinkofer highlights procedures used to test for the shaken-baby syndrome and activities that children who have been victims of it may have difficulty performing. The second section covers the legal issues related to the syndrome. Peinkofer highlights the methods and mechanisms that medical and law-enforcement personnel use to identify cases of the shaken-baby syndrome and discusses legal proceedings, including typical legal strategies used by both the prosecution and the defense. In the last brief section, Peinkofer turns his attention to the social aspects of the shaken-baby syndrome. Characteristics of perpetrators and the effect of the syndrome on families are discussed. One message of this section is that both caregivers and family members may shake babies. The author also discusses efforts at prevention and local, state, and federal laws that have been passed in an effort to eliminate the syndrome. In his conclusion, Peinkofer makes several recommendations regarding the shaken-baby syndrome. Most focus on educating medical, law-enforcement, and legal personnel regarding the symptoms and implications of the syndrome. Screening and standardized reporting are needed to gauge the magnitude of the problem and to ensure the identification of the syndrome when it occurs. This book does a superb job of orienting the reader about important aspects of a preventable, but until recently, largely ignored, public health problem. It is essential for anyone interested in the shaken-baby syndrome -- from physicians to students to public health professionals. It is largely free of medical jargon (though a glossary is provided), so the general reader should be able to understand it. Peinkofer has done a masterly job of clearing up misconceptions about the shaken-baby syndrome. This book will be a cornerstone of the field and will be widely cited for years to come. Leigh A. Willis, Ph.D.
Copyright © 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. The New England Journal of Medicine is a registered trademark of the MMS.

Edition details

• Publisher: Praeger
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0865693137
• ISBN 13: 9780865693135
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 312