据报道小于一岁婴儿的发病率为14.7-39.8/100 000。[4]Keenan HT, Runyan DK, Marshall SW, et al. A population-based study of inflicted traumatic brain injury in young children. JAMA. 2003;290:621-626.http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=197032http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12902365?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Kelly P, Farrant B. Shaken baby syndrome in New Zealand, 2000-2002. J Paediatr Child Health. 2008;44:99-107.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18086144?tool=bestpractice.com[6]Barlow KM, Minns RA. Annual incidence of shaken impact syndrome in young children. Lancet. 2000;356:1571-1572.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11075773?tool=bestpractice.com[7]Niederkrotenthaler T, Xu L, Parks SE, et al. Descriptive factors of abusive head trauma in young children - United States, 2000-2009. Child Abuse Negl. 2013;37:446-455.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23535075?tool=bestpractice.com 由于漏诊、医院的错误信息、症状较轻未就诊,这一数据可能被低估了。全球范围的虐待性头部外伤发病率难以统计,因为各个国家对儿童虐待和人为头部外伤的辨别和诊断有很大差异,常受构成儿童虐待原因的文化观念影响。然而,摇晃是一种常见的惩罚方式,世界范围的发病率各不相同,有的地区为 2.6%,而有些环境下高达 36%。[8]Runyan DK. The challenges of assessing the incidence of inflicted traumatic brain injury: a world perspective. Am J Prev Med. 2008;34(4 suppl):S112-S115.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18374259?tool=bestpractice.com 大约16%-38%的受害者死于所受的伤害。[9]Fanconi M, Lips U. Shaken baby syndrome in Switzerland: results of a prospective follow-up study, 2002-2007. Eur J Pediatr. 2010;169:1023-1028.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20213304?tool=bestpractice.com
没有文献报道存在种族差异。[10]Sinal SH, Petree AR, Herman-Giddens M, et al. Is race or ethnicity a predictive factor in shaken baby syndrome? Child Abuse Negl. 2000;24:1241-1246.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11057709?tool=bestpractice.com 男孩似乎比女孩更容易成为受害者。[4]Keenan HT, Runyan DK, Marshall SW, et al. A population-based study of inflicted traumatic brain injury in young children. JAMA. 2003;290:621-626.http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=197032http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12902365?tool=bestpractice.com[5]Kelly P, Farrant B. Shaken baby syndrome in New Zealand, 2000-2002. J Paediatr Child Health. 2008;44:99-107.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18086144?tool=bestpractice.com 特定年龄的发生率为9至12周龄达到顶峰然后逐渐下降,直线下降直到40周龄,然后保持平稳。[11]Lee C, Barr RG, Catherine N, et al. Age-related incidence of publicly reported shaken baby syndrome cases: is crying a trigger for shaking? J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2007 Aug;28(4):288-93.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17700080?tool=bestpractice.com 尽管此综合征可见于大龄儿童以及成人,但一般较少见于 2-3 岁以上的儿童。[12]Salehi-Had H, Brandt JD, Rosas AJ, et al. Findings in older children with abusive head injury: does shaken-child syndrome exist? Pediatrics. 2006 May;117(5):e1039-44.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16651283?tool=bestpractice.com[13]Mierisch RF, Frasier LD, Braddock SR, et al. Retinal hemorrhages in an 8-year-old child: an uncommon presentation of abusive injury. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2004 Feb;20(2):118-20.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14758311?tool=bestpractice.com[14]Pounder D. Shaken adult syndrome. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 1997 Dec;18(4):321-4.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9430280?tool=bestpractice.com