Carl JG Huber's Journey - Shaken Baby Syndrome Survivor
The sole purpose of this page is to share the journey of my son, Carl, as a Shaken Baby survivor.
This wonderful & happy boy has been my strength every single time I look at his precious face and see that smile that he is so readily eager to give to all.
10/15/2025
Good evening everyone! I just want to share here how I change Carl's Mini One Balloon Button from this morning. I normally change his Gtube every month. It's pretty easy. I know some might cringed on how it's done. I promise it's not hurting him at all and it's so fast and easy to do.
Happy Tuesday friends!
09/02/2025
A little long but so worth watching Carl and his sister having fun during the Open House last Friday. He can't wait to go back to school tomorrow. 🥰
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I have been debating for the longest time if I'll make a page for Carl or not, just because our family is quite private. We wanted to make everything just our business and not bug anybody else for something they should not worry about. But then, looking at how brave and how much my baby boy (well, he will always be a baby to me since that is what every mom feels for their eldest) was such a survivor ever since he was a few days shy of 3 months old, I've been always strengthened by his will to survive. When I have my bad days, this boy always makes my day by giving me his cutest smile and belly laugh. And this is when I realized that his smile can be a simple inspiration to others no matter what they are going through. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel.
Carl was born in the Philippines on January 15th of 2005, normal and healthy for an over 7 pounds baby. On April 7, 2005, his last normal days were over. His biological dad, who passed away since 2013, was his caretaker at that time and unfortunately made the wrong choice when he got frustrated with our baby. The details of what happened are too painful to write and rehash. With what happened to him unfortunately, he had acquired severe brain injury (head trauma and/or subdural hematoma) and multiple rib fractures. And now he has cerebral palsy, he's spastic quadriplegic, he has cortical vision impairment, he’s non mobile, non verbal, globally delayed, but thankfully we can still feed him orally and he doesn't have a tube. We pureed his food and have his beverage to a nectar consistency.
But since the purpose of this page is to serve as an inspiration, I'll keep it positive and encouraging. But also to keep awareness about Shaken Baby Syndrome and reach out to parents not to please ever shake your baby when you get frustrated. Babies are helpless and you are their support throughout their very young life until their old enough to take care a little bit of themselves. Love your babies, cherish them, guide them, support them, take care of them, shower them with praise, give them self esteem, help them to be the best person they can ever be in this world.
Keep smiling as Carl does. He's a joy. There are still lots of wonderful things to discover in the world for Carl. And everywhere he goes, everyone draws to him and people adores him. How can you not? With everything he has, his smile never fades. He's my survivor! He can be your hero as much as he is mine. #sbssurvivor #nevershakeababy #shakenbabysyndromeawareness #childabuseawareness #takeabreakdontshake #noexcuseforabuse #oneshakeisallittakes #lovethemdonthurtthem #abusiveheadtrauma #shakenimpactsyndrome #inflictedheadinjury #whiplashshakesyndrome
Shaken Baby Syndrome (also known as Shaken Impact Syndrome) is a serious form of abuse inflicted upon a child. It usually occurs when a parent or other caregiver shakes a baby out of anger or frustration, often because the baby will not stop crying.
Babies have very weak neck muscles that cannot fully support their proportionately large heads. Severe shaking causes the baby’s head to move violently back and forth, resulting in serious and sometimes fatal brain injury. These forces are exaggerated if the shaking is interrupted by the baby’s head hitting a surface.
Shaking, with or without the sudden deceleration of the head when it impacts a surface, can cause the following:
Subdural hematoma, which is a collection of blood between the surface of the brain and the dura (the tough, fibrous outer membrane surrounding the brain.) This occurs when the veins that bridge from the brain to the dura are stretched beyond their elasticity, causing tears and bleeding.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is bleeding between the arachnoid (web-like membrane surrounding the brain filled with spinal fluid) and the brain.
Direct trauma to the brain substance itself, caused when the brain strikes the inner surfaces of the skull.
Shearing off or breakage of nerve cell branches (axons) in the cortex and deeper structures of the brain caused by violent motion to the brain.
Further irreversible damage to the brain substance from the lack of oxygen if the child stops breathing during shaking.
Further damage to the brain cells when injured nerve cells release chemicals that add to oxygen deprivation to the brain.
Other injuries related to this abuse include:
Retinal hemorrhages ranging from a few scattered hemorrhages to extensive hemorrhages involving multiple layers of the retina.
Skull fractures resulting from impact when the baby is thrown against a hard or soft surface.
Fractures to other bones, including the ribs, collarbone and limbs; bruising to the face, head and entire body.
Prevalence and Incidence
This syndrome is primarily seen in children younger than age two, with the majority of cases occurring before the baby’s first birthday. The average victim is between three and eight months old. However, children up to age four have been victims of this abuse. The perpetrator of the abuse is most often the father, boyfriend of the mother, female babysitter or the mother. Parents experiencing stress because of environmental, social, biological or financial situations may be more prone to impulsive and violent behavior. Those involved with domestic violence and/or substance abuse may be at higher risk of inflicting this abuse.
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome estimates that there are between 600 and 1400 cases in the U.S. a year. Because there is currently no reliable method of collecting these statistics, the true incidence is unknown. This syndrome is the most common cause of death and long-term disability in infants and young children who are victims of child abuse.
Symptoms and Signs
There is often no obvious external evidence of injury or physical sign of violence, resulting in under diagnosis of this syndrome. Caregivers and even physicians who are not aware of what has happened to a baby may not detect injuries that are primarily internal, attributing the baby’s fussiness to an underlying cause such as a virus.
Symptoms vary and are caused by generalized brain swelling secondary to trauma. They may appear immediately after the shaking and usually reach a peak within 4-6 hours. The following signs and symptoms may indicate shaken baby syndrome:
Altered level of consciousness
Drowsiness accompanied by irritability
Coma
Convulsions or seizures
Dilated pupils that do not respond to light
Decreased appetite
Vomiting
Posture in which the head is bent back and the back arched
Breathing problems and irregularities
Abnormally slow and shallow respiration
Cardiac arrest
Death
Physical Findings upon Medical Examination
Retinal hemorrhages
Closed head injury bleeding (subdural, epidural, subarachnoid, subgaleal)
Lacerations
Contusions
Concussions
Bruises to the face, scalp, arms, abdomen or back
Soft tissue swelling that may indicate a fracture to the skull or other bones
Abdominal injuries
Chest injuries
Abnormally low blood pressure
Tense fontanel (soft spot)
Suggested Diagnostic Studies
History
Optic fundus exam for retinal hemorrhages
Computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan) of the head and abdomen
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in select cases
Lumbar puncture with precautions
Skeletal survey
Nuclear scan
Drug screening
Routine blood samples
Prognosis
The prognosis for victims of shaken baby syndrome varies with the severity of injury but generally is poor. Many cases are fatal or lead to severe neurological deficits. Death is usually caused by uncontrollable increased intracranial pressure from cerebral edema, bleeding within the brain or tears in the brain tissue. However, even babies with injuries that appear to be mild may show developmental difficulties. Typically, surviving babies with this syndrome may develop any of the following disabilities:
Cerebral palsy
Paralysis
Vision loss or blindness
Mental retardation
Epilepsy
Seizures
Prevention
Shaken baby syndrome is completely preventable. Taking care of a baby can present challenges, especially for first-time parents. However, it is important to remember that it is never acceptable to shake, throw or hit a baby. The following tips may help prevent abuse:
Take a deep breath and count to 10
Take time out and let the baby cry alone
Call someone for emotional support
Call a pediatrician – there may be a medical reason why the baby is crying
Never leave a baby with a caregiver, friend or family member in whom there is not complete trust
Always check references carefully before entrusting a baby to a caregiver or daycare center
