虐待性颅脑外伤最常见于<1 岁的婴儿,2-12 周龄时发生率达到高峰。在>1 岁到约 36 月龄的儿童中,仍有病例出现。尽管在大龄儿童和成人中,也有关于病例的描述,但受害者与施暴者的身体相对大小使得摇晃一名大龄儿童导致脑损伤所需要的作用力超过多数成人能施加的范畴。[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[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