The effects of Shaken Baby Syndrome can be permanent injuries or even cause death in a baby or small child. Education and prevention are the keys to making the change and stopping the abuse.
Shaken Baby Syndrome is a horrific condition that could easily be prevented if child care givers would stop, sit, and calm down instead of picking up what is often a crying baby and shaking it to make it hush.
The Shaken Baby Syndrome is when the shoulders, arms or legs shake an infant or small child. Actual impact to the head is not necessary to cause permanent injury or even the death of the child. This is because a baby's brain and
cranial blood vessels are very vulnerable to sever back and forth types of motions such as jerking, shaking, jolting and yes, impact.
Many people are unaware of the dangers of shaking a baby. Harsh shaking of a young child or infant can cause irreversible brain damage, seizures, hearing loss, cerebral palsy, blindness, spinal cord injuries, learning disabilities, mental retardation, speech difficulties, behavioral problems, paralysis, and even death.
Some of the signs of a baby suffering from Shaken Baby Syndrome are irritability, lethargy, vomiting, constipation, and lack of appetite. They may also have dilated pupils which means the pupils of the eyes are larger than normal and do not react to light in a normal fashion.
Other signs are a semiconscious state, breathing difficulties, pooling of blood in the eyes or blood spots and seizures. Any baby that shows one or more of these signs should be taken to the hospital immediately. In many cases time is of an essence to any hope of recovery.
Shaken Baby Syndrome can often be misdiagnosed. In fact, estimates report medical professionals misdiagnosis it up to thirty percent of the time because the clinical symptoms look similar to so many other diseases.
The statistics of shaken children are extremely grim. The mortality rate is twenty to twenty-five percent. Those suffering from lifelong disabilities such as paralysis, blindness, hearing loss and such are as high as fifty percent. The remaining few will usually have some type of residual effect such as attention or speech problems. Sixty to seventy percent of those guilty of causing Shaken Baby Syndrome are male. Often they are the child's father, grandfather or a mother's boyfriend.
Childcare providers need to be aware of the dangers of shaking a baby and given other options when trying to quiet a crying baby. First and foremost, they need to make sure all the baby's physical needs are met. Change the diaper, offer them a bottle or something to eat, check for a temperature or other signs of illness or teething.
If all physical needs are met, then there are many other techniques to try while calming a crying baby. Take them on a car ride or out for a walk in their stroller. Rock them while singing or playing some type of soft music. Snuggle them in a soft blanket, give them a pacifier or put them into a wind up swing. Try giving them a warm, not hot bath, rub their back or tummy. They may need burping or a dose of an anti-gas medication.
If all of these fail, take the child to the doctor or emergency room. There could easily be an underlying condition you are unaware of such as an ear infection. When a doctor's visit gives no clue to the reason for continued crying and frustration is building, put the baby in a safe place and take a break. If you are a baby-sitter, call the parents to come home and take over. They will respect and appreciate your honesty and concern for the child.
If you are a parent, call for help. The frustration isn't just over a crying baby; don't allow it to explode with your baby being the one to suffer for it. Call a friend or relative and talk. Ask them to come and give you a break by sitting with the baby while you go shopping or take a nap. It takes a strong person to admit they are overwhelmed and need help.
When friends or family aren't available, there are hotlines across the country to aide in the decrease of child abuse. You will remain anonymous and someone will be able to talk you through the crisis.
One such number is: 1-800-422-4452 (1-800-4-A-CHILD). This is the number to the national crisis hotline for Childhelp USA. Another national number is the national Committee to Prevent Child Abuse at 1-800-244-52736 (1-800-CHILDREN).
There is no reason or excuse for child abuse. It is the responsibility of the caregiver to look for and find the help needed for his or her own problems and inability's to cope. There have been too many casualties to Shaken Baby Syndrome already. If you need help get it, if you can volunteer then do so. Make the change and make child abuse in all its forms stop.
For those looking for more information on child abuse, type in "child abuse, child sexual abuse, shaken baby syndrome or sex offenders" into your favorite search engine. Alta Vista, Lycos, AOL search, Bonzi and others will pull up
hundreds of resource pages.
For those looking for a starting place, search for the following organizations:
Allie's Fund
This is a site dedicated to helping new parents cope in a safe and healthy manner.
Child Abuse and Neglect State Contacts
This site has a listing of various state agencies and organizations to get help with preventing. It includes the Children's Trust and Prevention Funds, National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse as well as Parents Anonymous.
National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse
This is a marvelous site that offers a variety of information on child abuse itself, prevention as well as tips for parenting.
If you have difficulty finding these, call your local crisis hotline and ask for addresses and phone numbers for your state. Go to your local police or sheriff's department and request a print out of sex offenders in your area. Be
prepared for a shock in the number you may find living in your neighborhood.
