UAB Program Works to Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome

A program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham is teaching parents of newborns how to protect their children from shaken baby syndrome, one of the most severe forms of child abuse. Shaken baby syndrome happens when parents or caregivers shake the baby out of frustration or stress when the child is crying inconsolably. It can cause brain trauma and death, and occurs most often in infants two years old and younger. According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, treatment was sought for approximately 1,200-1,400 children who were shaken last year. Of those, 25 to 30 percent died as a result of their injuries, and the rest will have lifelong complications. In reality, many more babies probably suffered from the effects of SBS, because SBS victims rarely have any external evidence of trauma. Now nearing the end of its second year, UAB's Shaken Baby Prevention Program recruits volunteers to visit new parents in the hospital, show them a video, review printed materials with them and give them a toll-free number to call. For parents who want more information, The Birmingham Exchange Club Family Skills Center is partnering with UAB to provide free parenting support. New parents can also sign up for a free childcare newsletter. Key to the program is not only teaching parents about the dangers of shaking their baby, but giving them advice on ways to handle uncontrollable crying. "We talk to families about crying, that it's normal to get frustrated when children are crying," says Mia Amaya, MD, MPH, assistant professor of pediatrics at UAB. "One of the things we tell them is if they check on their child and they seem to be fine, it's perfectly fine to put the child down in their crib or in another safe place and walk away to pull themselves together for 10 minutes or 20 minutes, and not to feel guilty about that." Volunteers also warn parents that infants tend to cry more between two weeks and four months than they do right after they're born, and to be prepared for that. Program Coordinator Erin Mayfield estimates the volunteers make about 200 visits to new parents a month. Currently, the program is in place at UAB and Cooper Green hospital, but efforts are underway to expand it to Children's Hospital and others in the area. Eventually coordinators would like to make the program a statewide effort. Funding is primarily from the Children's Trust Fund of Alabama. "There are so many things pediatricians are asked to do besides take care of sick children," Amaya says, that talking to parents about preventing shaken baby syndrome often takes a back seat to issues such as safety, healthy eating and other factors to promote proper development. "One of the ways we have to prevent child abuse is to have more open dialogues with the family about crying and responding to behavior," she says. "Some pediatricians are more comfortable doing this than others. It takes more time and it tends to be poorly reimbursed." She recommends that pediatricians provide families written information, such as the handouts the UAB program uses, available free of charge from the Children's Trust Fund. You also can purchase brochures from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Another good resource to point parents to is the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. If parents find themselves in a situation where they are afraid they might inflict harm on their child, they can call the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-CHILD.