Shaken Baby Syndrome: Prevention and Awareness
http://www.hmc.psu.edu/shakenbaby/
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is one of the most severe forms of child abuse caused by the violent shaking of an infant with or without impact against an object. Approximately 1/3 of the victims die as a result of direct brain injuries. Thousands of victims who survive suffer permanent neurological damage such as blindness, developmental delays, mental retardation, seizures, physical disabilities, paralysis, and/or brain damage.
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
In 2002, the 42 hospitals that provided maternity services in Central Pennsylvania were asked to partner together and participate in a shaken baby education, research, and child abuse prevention effort. Under this program, which was developed in 1998 by Pediatric Neurosurgeon Dr. Mark Dias, every parent, upon the birth of every child, was educated about Shaken Baby Syndrome. The education was tracked through the use of a commitment statement that parents were asked to voluntarily sign. This actively engaged the parents in the education process as well as provided an avenue for program coordinators to track the delivery of this information.
In 2004, through the generous funding of The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and in collaboration with The Pennsylvania Department of Health, Dr. Dias’s program was extended to the Eastern and Western portions of the state and was renamed The Pennsylvania Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention and Awareness Program to reflect participation statewide.
As of May 2006, 100% of Pennsylvania’s birthing and children’s hospitals have verbalized a commitment to providing consistent shaken baby education to their parents and participate in the SBS data tracking with Dr. Dias and his Nurse Coordinators.
