Bibliometric analysis of shaken baby syndrome and abusive head trauma research

Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma are significant traumatic brain injuries observed in infants and represent a critical public health issue. Although there is a vast literature on this subject, conducting a descriptive bibliometric analysis is essential to map the topic's quantitative development over time and to reveal its current geographical and conceptual distribution objectively. This study systematically analyzes 3,571 articles published between 1977 and 2025 in the Web of Science Core Collection database, examining the distribution of publications by year and country, leading journals, citation rates, and keyword networks. Our findings indicate a linear increase in the volume of SBS/AHT research publications since the 2000s. The analysis highlights two significant strengths and shifts in the literature. First, the emergence of countries from diverse regions-such as Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and Russia-in the literature network, alongside traditional research hubs, objectively confirms the subject's expanding global scope. Second, the fact that the highest citation rates and publication density are not limited to clinical medicine journals (e.g., Pediatrics) but are simultaneously concentrated in pioneering journals with social and legal content (e.g., Child Abuse & Neglect) highlights the field's multidimensional and interdisciplinary nature. In conclusion, this study provides an objective resource for all stakeholders-including physicians, forensic scientists, and legal professionals-by visualizing the current geographic diversity of scientific output, key terms, and journal dynamics.