Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a form of child abuse caused by a parent or care provider violently shaking an infant. Babies have weak neck muscles, large heads, and soft brains. When they are shaken, the brain rotates within the skull cavity, injuring or destroying brain tissue.
Shaking frequently occurs when a frustrated caregiver loses control with an inconsolable crying baby. It is important to realize that just saying “don't shake a baby” is not enough. A plan of action or instruction of how to deal with a crying infant need to be learned. Parents and other care providers need assurance that allowing a baby to cry is okay if all her needs have been met. We teach these skills. Our ProgramC/CAN, in coordination with the Department of Human Services, presents information to middle and high school students, teen parents, and parent groups. All presentations provide helpful information for attendees to keep. The information we provide includes identifying risk factors, why infants are more suseptable to SBS, how SBS can be prevented, and the long term effects and consequences of SBS. A large portion of the presentation includes how to cope with a crying infant, as well as safe sleep campaign information. In the future, we plan to reinvigorate our SBS curriculum for middle and high school students and to create a Dads Club for new fathers. Additionally, we would like to institute a new prevention program for parents. This program, created by the |
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