SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME: The Facts You Need to Know
"Shaken Baby Syndrome" is an urgent matter because the effects can be so devastating. By telling people who care for children what the facts really are, Shaken Baby Syndrome can be prevented.
Who needs to know about Shaken Baby Syndrome?
Parents, siblings, boyfriends or girlfriends, childcare workers and any person who cares for children must be aware of the dangers of shaking a child. |
Information provided
with permission
from the Children's
Trust Fund of Texas
En Español:
SINDROME DEL BEBE SACUDIDO |
Shaking, jerking and jolting can cause blood vessels in the head to tear or burst.
Shaken Baby Syndrome is the shaking of an infant or child by the arms, legs, or shoulders with or without impact of the head. This trauma can result in bleeding and brain injury with no outward signs of abuse.
Often frustrated caregivers feel that shaking a baby or small child is a harmless way to make the child stop crying. However, a baby?s brain and blood vessels are vulnerable to whiplash motions, such as shaking, jerking, jolting, and impact. The neck muscles of an infant or small child are weak, so the child?s head is relatively heavy and the neck cannot support the stress of shaking or impact.
Shaking a very young child, with or without impact of the head, can cause irreversible brain damage, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, spinal cord injury, seizures, learning disabilities, and even death. It is tragic that healthy, intelligent babies are suffering these disabilities simply because their caregivers don? know about the dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome.
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How to Calm a Crying Baby
- Change the baby?s diaper
- Walk with the baby or rock them
- Rub their back or tummy
- Check to see if they?re hungry
- Carry them a lot, even when they?re not crying
- Hold a mirror up to them or shake a rattle for them
- Take them on a car ride
- Give them a warm bath
- Take them for a walk in the stroller
- Give them a pacifier or a teether
- Put them in a wind-up swing
- Wrap them in a warm blanket
- Put on some soft music or sing to them
- Turn on a fan or small motor
- Make sure the baby is not sick, check for a fever
- Are they teething?
- Take them to the doctor or clinic
If you get frustrated or angry:
- Put the baby in a safe place
- Take a break,
- Call a friend.
To report suspected abuse cal1 your local S.C.F. office or police. For information on Shaken Baby Syndrome visit The Shaken Baby Alliance website at www.shakenbaby.com. The Shaken Baby Alliance offers support and information for families affected by SBS as well as professionals needing information and referral services.
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Some doctors believe many children with learning disabilities were victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome
Symptoms of "Shaken Baby Syndrome" include irritability, poor feeding, vomiting, lethargy, breathing difficulties, seizures, and coma. These children should receive immediate medical attention. For the sake of the child, please report any suspected abuse.
"Shaken Baby Syndrome" can be prevented by educating those who take care of children and by teaching them appropriate coping skills. Any parent knows how stressful caring for a small child can sometimes be. But, there?s a foolproof method to prevent hurting an infant or child. It takes less than a minute and only three simple steps:
- STOP.
- SIT DOWN.
- CALM DOWN.
Get a grip on yourself before you get a grip on that child.
Innocent lives depend on how quickly we spread the message.
You can help save lives and prevent countless disabilities by spreading the Word. EVERYONE who cares for children must know the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome. Innocent lives depend on how quickly we inform the public, so please, help us get the message through. Tell people about the dangers.
Shaking a baby causes irreversible, lifelong disabilities. Help educate others on the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome because:
the good we do will last a lifetime
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