The cold Smile: A story of shaken baby syndrome

Kids are the light to the world.

Their body anatomy is tender, they do not have a way of expressing their pains or problems except through the crying, and sometimes when they do.
It gets very annoying, as parent and caregivers often try different means to discover the reason for such cry.
This could really be frustrating, especially in the middle of the night with your sleepy eyes.

If you must smile, do now, for the story I'm about to tell you is no joke.


It all started last two weeks, at exactly 9:20 am, or maybe a little bit more I can’t say for sure, for my head was fast dived with cramming for an exam scheduled for the next day.
Faith, a 6 months old child was crying profusely, which I must confess disturbed my concentration. The mother probably went to get some stuffs in the market and must had left the young child with Mark, her 8years old son.
I went outside to see if I could calm the situation fast, so as to concentrate, on getting outside, Faith was already laughing, as mark rocked her back and forth in a ‘shaky shaky’ manner, it made her laugh hard.
Well good for them, some sort of bonding I said to myself, that always work.
At 6:05pm, this time I am very certain of the time for I was online at that moment surfing the net with my phone.
Faith woke up from her beauty sleep on her small bed crying, I guessed it was hunger, so did the Mom, so she untucked her breast out, put it into the child’s mouth, but she refused to suck any milk.

The Mom called out to mark, to make ready the stove so she could make some palp, well just in case you are not aware of what that is, it is a local whitish substance made from corn, well that’s what I’ve always thought it to be.
Faith refused the Palp, and was still crying, this time I was more concerned, for I was outside my room watching the entire scenario.

My slippers were worn wrongly, for the thought of being a child were on my mind.
I quickly put my slippers in order went to see the young child, mama Faith was already alarming the neighborhood as the child’s face had gone pale, with no response to touch.

I had to voice out loud an immediate rush to the hospital, for Baba Taju, a one legged neighbor had told mama faith to wait for the traditional doctor who is 30 mins walk from the house. At first mama faith complained of money, but I had to shout at her to get her wrapper, we should just get going. Since I was educated with some knowledge in the medical sector I followed them. Some women came to see what’s happening, I heard one woman asked if mama Faith had treated the child of malaria, it’s probably malaria she said. I looked at her and marvel at her ignorance but my attention was fast on the pale child. Well I guess that's the case, whenever one is sick, people just conclude the type of sickness without a proper test, as if they have some sort of *crystal ball disease detector*. A taxi came in with a sharp turn and we quickly entered in. It was a 3 seat way taxi, but we were four inside sweating, praying, hoping to God for the life of little faith. At the hospital, she was taken to a room which at the entrance was written emergency unit, we were not allowed to enter. So we waited tearfully. I heard the sound of thunder, my mind raced to the clothes I placed outside to dry and the beans I left in the sun to dry for bean insects wont let me be. Mama Faith, Mark, Alfred; one neighbor I never liked, and myself all waited at the reception. Mama faith was tapping her feat on the floor, then she stood up, pacing from left to right. I felt pity for her, then I stared at mark with a stern question of “ what the hell did you do”. You see, last month or Mark had a little quarrel with his mom, and I heard him swore that he’ll make her cry. What the quarrel was about I do not know, for I chose not to be a nosy neighbor, you won’t blame me right? The fear and worry in Mark eyes made it even more suspicious to me, but I said nothing.
45mins later or so, I can’t say, the doctor came outside to meet with us, mama faith jumped at him starring at his mouth as he make his words. She is fine for now, the doctor replied, but we have to do some test on her brain. We were glad, at least our prayers were answered. While talking with the doctor, a nurse came in calling the doctor to come quick for the patient in room 4 has some issues, the doctor left with a swift. We never knew which room was faith, but we hoped it’s not what we thought. This time I stood up from my seat, waiting for answers. 15mins later, the Doctor came in with a long face, he didn’t have to say anything, I knew what that meant. I quickly went to Mama faith to hold her hands before she erupt. The Doctor was quiet as Mama faith kept asking about her child, shouting at him. The doctor said it, we are sorry ma’am, we did all we could but we lost her. Mama faith’s scream was fierce and sharp, she started hitting the doctor asking him why, why u let my pickin die,…. …..

I asked the doctor the cause of death,
He said he would conduct some tests for he is unsure of the cause of death.
Like Rachel in the Holy book, mama faith refused to be comforted.
I felt for her, then I looked at Mark and asked him what did he do?
Fidgeting he replied: n-no-nothing-ooo, I no do anything ooo.

He said it with his hands raised up like he was swearing to whatever god he serves which I do not care.
We went home without Faith’s corpse, for the doctor wanted to run some test.
At home, compound was as silent as a graveyard, why won’t it, for not to long we all danced to the melody of a new born baby, now just how many months, we are here asking the heavens questions …....
Two days later, the doctor called Mama faith, who asked me to come with her.
At the doctor’s office, he explained to us that the child has swelling on her head, multiple injuries at the skull, this he said he discovered after what he said to be a MRI scan and a CT scan.
He looked at Mama faith with a stern question, why did you repeatedly abuse your child by shaking her? Mama faith who was sobbing bitterly barely understood what the doctor was saying nodded her head in agreement.
The doctor looked at me and said, the child died from what is regarded as shaken baby syndrome, which is a Shaken baby syndrome is a serious brain injury caused by forcefully and violently shaking a baby.
I remembered the previous event with Mark and the baby, I never knew what that was and I never knew such would have led to this, it's sad we learned it in a sorrowful way.
How I would give anything to see faith smile and laugh over again, it did bring wonders to my heart, I what a cold smile to behold.


Shaken baby syndrome is an injury caused by forceful or violently shaking a baby, since the tissue of the child are soft, this could lead to bleeding in the brain, severe brain damage.
Possible symptoms of this conditions includes:

• Trembling of the child’s body,
• Difficult in breathing,
• Discoloured skin,
• Seizure can also occur,
• Coma etc.

Parents, Guardian and caregiver should avoid shaking their child out of frustration or anger, or even a cry get away situation.

Thanks for reading