As early as May 1977, Gregersen et al. recommended screening for organic aciduria in all children with unexplained neurological symptoms (10). In January 1979, Whelan et al. wrote, "any infant with central nervous system dysfunction of undetermined etiology (origin) should be screened for organic acids" (11). Their advice went largely unheeded, and in June 1996, Hoffmann et al. wrote, "We are convinced that this disorder frequently remains undiagnosed and misdiagnosed" (4). He reported an average delay in diagnosis of 15 months after the onset of the disease. One common misdiagnosis was post-encephalitic cerebral palsy.

Reporter Robert Kowalski learned that Glutaric Aciduria Type 1 was being misdiagnosed as child abuse and conducted an investigation. His findings were published in the October 6, 1996 edition of The Sunday Denver Post. The American Medical Association reprinted an excerpt of the article in a newsletter that went out to its 300,000 members. This led to heightened awareness and more screening. But sadly, many doctors remain unaware that an organic disease can cause the "hallmark" symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome.