Background: In shaken baby syndrome (SBS), the brain tissue is caused to move back and forth inside the skull, resulting in bruising and tearing of the brain and leading to irreversible brain damage. Understanding mothers’ knowledge and attitudes toward SBS is helpful for the development of effective interventions, such as educational programs, to prevent SBS and its devastating consequences in newborns and infants. As such, the objectives of this study were to investigate parental perceptions and attitudes regarding SBS. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional, descriptive investigation conducted between June 2024 and March 2025. Utilizing validated electronic questionnaires, the aim of this work was to assess the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of parents in Saudi Arabia’s western region regarding SBS, and to identify the sources and factors linked to SBS information. Results: A total of 409 parents participated in the study. There was a notable difference in terms of gender ( P = 0.016), with fewer males exhibiting good awareness of SBS (19.6%) compared to females (36.0%). There was also a significant difference for marital status ( P = 0.048). Finally, regarding the act of shaking the baby, 117 (43.2%) of those parents with poor SBS awareness admitted to shaking their baby when they cried, whereas 38 (27.5%) of those with good awareness reported the same behavior ( P = 0.006). Conclusion: Parents show a low level of awareness and understanding regarding SBS. Incorporating SBS awareness into prenatal education and public health initiatives could significantly contribute to the prevention of child abuse and its dire repercussions.
Albeshri et al. (Fri,) studied this question.