1. Shaken Baby Syndrome AHT- Abusive Head Trauma “People who said they would never strike a child thought shaking seemed like a less violent way to deal with the crying.”

2. What is SBS? A form of child abuse that is caused when a baby is shaken vigorously by their caregiver.  In some cases the baby is even kicked, thrown or dropped. The baby’s head is not proportional to the rest of the body. Therefore, the baby does not have the muscle strength in their neck to support their head. The brain rotates within the skull making contact multiple times causing irreversible damage.

3. What May Happen to a Baby That Has Been Shaken? Swelling of the brain Developmental delays Blindness Hearing loss Paralysis Speech and learning difficulties Seizures Damage to the neck and spine Behavioral problems Permanent vegetative state Brain hemorrhage Sometimes death

4. What Are Some Common Statistics For SBS? Up to 1,400 cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome occur each year in the United States. One out of every four babies will not survive the initial injuries. 60 to 90 percent of people who shake babies are male. Most perpetrators are in their twenties Most commonly found in babies six weeks to five months old, but can occur up to age five. Most victims are shaken by someone who knows them. Up to 50 percent of people don’t know the effects of shaking a baby.

5. How Does SBS Affect the Community? The initial cost of hospitalization can easily be over 150,000 dollars. The Texas Brain Injury Association estimates that permanent brain injury could reach 3 million dollars or higher for a lifetime of care. Greene county is ranked second in the state for reported child abuse cases. 89 percent of the cases reported in Greene county were confirmed in 2011.

6. How Can We Prevent SBS? If you are reaching a breaking point and have already tried to meet the baby’s needs and they are still crying:  PUT THE BABY IN A SAFE PLACE then… Walk away Call a friend or family member Run a vacuum cleaner Count to yourself Walk outside briefly Listen to music Find something to occupy your time while you’re calming down. DO NOT PICK THE BABY UP UNTIL YOU ARE COMPLETELY CALM! Educate others who will come in contact with your baby!

7. How Does Awareness Prevent SBS? Love Me…Never Shake Me  Education program in upstate New York.  SBS cases have decreased by 50 percent since 1998. The effects of shaken baby syndrome are irreversible. Prevention can be achieved through awareness and education. Educate…Don’t Shake!