Shaken Baby Syndrome in New York State

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Shaken Baby Syndrome What You Need to Know
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What is Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)?

• SBS can happen when an adult or older child
  violently shakes an infant or young child
• The babys brain moves back and forth inside the
  skull, tearing blood vessels and causing blood to
  pool inside the skull
• Shaking can cause brain injury, cerebral palsy,
  blindness, hearing loss, learning and behavior
  problems, seizures, paralysis, and death

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How serious is SBS?

• One out of every four children who is shaken dies
  from their injuries
• 80 of survivors suffer permanent damage
• An estimated 1,000-3,000 children in the United
  States suffer from SBS each year

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What are the economic results of SBS?

• In the United States, costs of hospitalizations
  and continuing care for SBS victims can total
  between 1.2 and 16 billion each year
• Lost wages and productivity of victims who cant
  work, and the costs of prosecuting the abuser and
  putting him or her in jail

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In New York State

• An average of 33 children under the age of 4
  years old are hospitalized each year because of
  SBS
• The average charge for each hospitalization is
  65,000

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Who are the perpetrators of SBS?

• In most cases the person who shakes a baby is
  male, usually either the mothers boyfriend or
  the babys father
• In a smaller number of cases, a paid caregiver or
  babysitter is responsible for shaking a baby
• In some cases, the babys mother is the
  perpetrator

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Why would someone shake a baby?

• Most adults who admit to shaking a baby say they
  became frustrated and upset when the baby would
  not stop crying
• Personal issues such as money or problems at
  work or in relationships can also make a
  caregiver frustrated enough to shake a child
• Most perpetrators of SBS didnt mean to hurt the
  child, and did not realize that their actions
  could have this effect

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What if your baby will not stop crying?

• Make sure all of your babys basic needs are met.
  Is she
• Hungry?
• Too hot or too cold?
• Sick or feverish?
• Needing a diaper change?

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If your baby is still crying

• Gently rock your baby
• Touch your baby skin to skin contact will help
  to soothe and relax both of you
• Run a vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, or make some
  other white noise
• While sitting, lay your baby face down across
  your knees and gently pat or rub their back
• Play soft music, sing, or hum to your baby
• Take your baby for a ride in the stroller

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If you become frustrated with your babys
behavior

• If you have tried to soothe your baby but she is
  still crying, it is okay to put the baby down in
  a safe place and take a short break
• Spend 5-10 minutes reading, listening to music,
  exercising, or talking to a friend
• Check on the baby after a few minutes once you
  feel relaxed you can try again to stop your
  babys crying

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Immediate symptoms of SBS include

• Baby cant lift head
• Pupils different sizes
• Baby is very stiff or like a rag doll
• Vomiting

• Baby seems very tired or cannot stay awake
• Baby is very irritable or fussy
• Poor appetite
• No smiling or talking
• Difficulty swallowing, sucking, or breathing

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If you think a baby may have been shaken

• Call 911 right away! Emergency medical care could
  prevent permanent brain damage, or even save the
  babys life.

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Shaken Baby Syndrome is preventable!

• Make sure to share the information from this
  presentation with anyone who spends time with
  your child, even if it is only for a short while
• Everyone who is responsible for a young child
  should know to never, ever shake a baby

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For more information on SBS

• New York State Department of Health Bureau of
  Injury Prevention
• www.nyhealth.gov/nysdoh/consumer/sbs
• 1-518-473-1143
• New York State Office of Children Family
  Services
• www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/prevention
• 1-518-473-7793
• Hotline to Report Child Abuse and Neglect
  1-800-342-3720
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/childmaltr
  eatment/index.html
• 1-800-232-4636 (1-800-CDC-INFO)
• Shaken Baby Alliance
• www.shakenbaby.org
• 1-877-636-3727 (1-877-6-END-SBS)