Parenting/Shaken

Shaken Baby Syndrome

How do you calm a crying baby? Many Parents and caregivers are frustrated when nothing seems to work. As a result, your child could be unintentionally injured, or even killed.

The following information explains shaken baby syndrome (SBS) and how to keep your baby safe. Share this information with anyone who cares for your baby -- friends, relatives, babysitters, child care providers, brothers and sisters and especially anyone who has little or no experience caring for babies or children.

Make sure that everyone who cares for your child knows about the dangers of shaking. Tell them to never

shake your baby -- you could save your baby's life.

Shaken baby syndrome can occur when an infant or young child is shaken. Infants three to six months old are the most frequent victims, although Shaken Baby Syndrome can affect children of any age.

Head trauma is the most frequent cause of permanent damage or death among abused infants and children -- and shaking accounts for a significant number of those cases. Babies' neck muscles are weak and their brains and connective tissues are fragile and underdeveloped. When a baby is shaken, the brain bounces within the skull, causing bruising, bleeding and swelling inside the baby's brain.

Make sure that no one shakes your baby.

One out of four babies who are shaken dies as a result of being shaken. Other life-long injuries can occur, including:

brain damage leading to mental retardation
speech and learning disabilities
spinal injury and paralysis
cerebral palsy
seizures
hearing loss
partial or total blindness
broken bones and dislocations

How to Help a Crying Baby

Taking care of a baby can be difficult and frustrating. Often, the biggest challenge is trying to figure out why the baby is crying. The following questions can help your find out. Post this list in your baby's room as a reminder to everyone who cares for your baby.

Does the baby need to be fed or burped? Feed him slowly and burp him often.

Does the baby need to be changed? Check her diaper to see if it needs to be changed or loosened.

Is the baby too hot or too cold? Feel the baby's head for perspiration or coolness. Add or remove clothing and blankets, as needed.

Does the baby need to suck? Guide her fingers or pacifier to her mouth.

Does the baby need to feel close to you? Babies need to be held often. Touching and cuddling help a baby develop both physically and mentally.

Is the baby overtired or over stimulated? Turn off extra noise like the television or radio. Lower the lights. Gently lay the baby in the crib

Does the baby just need to cry? Babies cry a lot during the first few months of their lives. It is the only way they have to communicate. If you've tried everything and the baby is still crying and you're feeling frustrated, gently place the baby in the crib or other safe place, close the door and go to another room for just a few minutes until you calm down.

How to Help Yourself!

If you feel yourself loosing control, gently put the baby down. Then try some of the following tips to take care of your own needs.

Let your anger out in a safe way. Shake a rug, do dishes or laundry, scrub a floor, beat a pillow, or just sit down and have a good cry. It's okay to feel frustrated -- as long as you don't take it out on the baby.
Calm down, Take several deep breaths, count to 100, put yourself in a time-out chair until you're calm.
Stop and thing about why you feel so angry. Is it the child or is he just a convenient target for your anger.
Sit or lie down, close your eyes, think of a pleasant place in your memory for several minutes.
Call a friend, relative or neighbor to talk about your frustration or see if someone cal take over for a little while.
Do something for yourself. Listen to soft music, exercise or take a shower or bath.
Write down the ten best things about yourself. Write down the ten best things about your child.
Contact the Child Abuse Council at 309-764-7017 to receive the Parenting Resources Directory, or contact Prevent Child Abuse Illinois at 217-522-1129 / www.childabuse-il.org for additional parenting resources.

Remember that crying doesn't hurt a baby -- shaking does!

Contact us if you would like to learn more about Shaken Baby Syndrome. Our Speakers Bureau is prepared to speak to your organization's group about what SBS is, what happens to the child when it occurs and how to prevent injury.

Source: This information was taken from a brochure which is part of a statewide campaign of the Attorney General, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Independent Order of Foresters, GFWC Illinois Federation of Women's Clubs and distributed by Prevent Child Abuse Illinois.