SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME

ABUSIVE HEAD TRAUMA

A Preventable Tragedy

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)is the term used to describe the signs and symptoms resulting from a child being shaken. Shaking a baby is dangerous because:

  • Ababy's head is large and heavy in proportion to the baby's body.
  • There is space between the brain and skull to allow for growth and development.
  • The baby's neck muscles are not yet developed.

Violently shaking a baby or young child forces the head to whip back and forth, causing blood vessels in the brain and eyes to rip and bleed. In addition, this motion causes the brain to move and bounce against the skull which can cause brain damage. Shaking a baby can cause:

  • blindness
  • brokenbones
  • cerebral palsy

Shaken Baby Syndrome PA Legislation

  • Act No. 2002 - 176, Shaken Baby Syndrome Education and Prevention Program signed in December 2002.
  • Requires hospitals to:
  • Provide parents educational materials on SBS free of charge.
  • Present parents with a voluntarily commitment statement indicating that they have receivedthe educational materials.
  • Charged the Department of Health to develop a program to focus on awareness, education and prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Shaken Baby SyndromeFacts

  • In the United States, the yearly rate of SBS is between 750 and 3,750 infants.
  • One third of the victims of SBS survive with few or no consequences, one third of the victims suffer permanent injury and one third of the victims die.
  • Most victims are males under one year of age.
  • SBS most often occurs when an adult is frustrated and angry because the baby won't stop crying.
  • Toilet training difficulties and feeding problems can also lead to SBS.

“Saving babies' lives one family at a time."

Shaken Baby Syndrome usually results from a parent or

caregiver shaking a baby because the baby would not stop

crying. Since crying is the primary reason that infants are

shaken, it is important to inform parents, when their baby is born, how to deal with the frustrations of a crying baby as well as to equip them with effective parenting and coping

strategies. Educated parents are then advocates for their child’s safety. They are encouraged to share this information with others who may care for their child such as relatives, friends, and childcare providers.

Below are some tips we can offer to parents and others on how to deal with a crying child:

■ Babies can cry a lot in the first few months of life and this can be frustrating. But it will

get better.

■ Remember, you are not a bad parent or caregiver if your baby continues to cry after you

have done all you can to calm him/her.

■ You can try to calm your crying baby by:

♦ Rubbing his/her back ♦ Gently rocking

♦ Offering a pacifier♦ Singing or talking

♦ Taking a walk using a stroller or a drive with the baby in a properly-secured car seat.

■ If you have tried various ways to calm your baby and he/she won’t stop crying, do the

following:

♦ Check for signs of illness or discomfort like diaper rash, teething, or tight clothing

♦ Call the doctor if you suspect your child is injured or ill

♦ Assess whether he/she is hungry or needs to be burped

■ If you find yourself pushed to the limit by a crying baby, you may need to focus on

calming yourself. Put your baby in a crib on his/her back, make sure he/she is safe,

and then walk away for a bit and call a friend, relative, neighbor, or parent helpline

for support. Check on him/her every 5 to 10 minutes.

■ Understand that you may not be able to calm your baby and that it is not your fault, nor

your baby’s. It is normal for healthy babies to cry much more in the first 4 months of

life.

Sometimes people shake babies when they won’t stop crying.

Please... Never Shake A Baby!

This information compiled from:

PA Act 176 of 2002, The Pennsylvania Shaken Baby Syndrome Education Program, the Brain Injury Association of America, the New York Department of Health, and The Arc.