Anatomical differences make in -
fants and children more vulnerable to
extensive injuries following head
trauma. The brain of a child has wide
spaces located between the skull and
brain (subarachnoid spaces) containing
blood vessels that can become
damaged after experiencing shearing
forces and movement (Barth, Freeman,
Broshek, & Varney, 2001). The in -
fant’s head-to-body ratio is much larger
than an adult’s, and the neck is
more flexible, which increases the
potential for greater movement and
damage from jarring forces. When a
force is applied to the head or the
head strikes a stationary object