Ep 11 - Dr. Debra Esernio-Jenssen - How Doctors Evaluate and Diagnose Abuse in Infants

This episode is the 2nd in our 8-part April Child Abuse Prevention series giving you a deeper look into Shaken Baby Syndrome cases.  We talk to Dr. Debra Esernio-Jenssen, pediatrician and Medical Director of the Child Advocacy Center at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. You will not find a more thorough explanation of how doctors evaluate infants when they arrive at the hospital and the multi-disciplinary approach used to determine whether the infant was abused. Dr. Jenssen takes listeners step-by-step through the process, the questions they answer, the tests they conduct, the reports they review and the all-encompassing team that provides input into determining a diagnosis of #AbusiveHeadTrauma (AHT). 

Dr. Jenssen discusses the mechanisms and force that causes injuries seen in victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome and the outcomes that these victims experience during recovery.  Finally, Dr. Jenssen explains how normalizing infant crying plays a key role in prevention and educating everyone, including doctors and medical professionals, is critical for prevention to be successful. Brought to you by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS).

The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the NCSBS.

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