Abusive Head Trauma (AHT), also known as Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), is 100% preventable and is a form of physical child abuse to a baby or young child. AHT/SBS can be caused by shaking alone or from an injury that results in a whiplash motion that may cause bleeding inside the brain or eyes. Even a few seconds of violent shaking can cause serious injuries.
According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, AHT/SBS is the leading cause of Child Abuse Death within the United States. Out of the approximate 1,300 reported cases per year, 80% of survivors have lifelong disabilities, and 25% of the cases will die. As the baby is shaken, the brain moves within the skull, hurting or destroying brain tissue. Shaking also can tear blood vessels around the brain or eye causing more injury or even death.
Sometimes they cry a lot. Crying is a baby's way of communicating and it is normal. Crying in babies peaks around 6 to 8 weeks and gradually decreases by 4 to 5 months of age. A baby won't die from crying, but they CAN die from being shaken. Non-stop crying is a primary trigger for shaking a baby.
It is not the crying that is the problem. The problem is how adults deal with the crying. AHT/SBS prevention education to new parents on a crying plan will help new parents plan ahead on what they will do and how they will react when they become frustrated with a crying baby. A crying plan can make a life-changing difference for a baby.
The 2015 survey revealed that hospitals are not providing consistent AHT/SBS prevention messaging in their employee and patient education:
AHT/SBS Prevention Hospital Campaign is to provide evidence-based education to parents of newborns as well as birthing hospital staff. Educating new parents and caregivers within the hospital setting will provide a consistent, evidence-based AHT/SBS prevention message to parents of more than 26,500 newborns across the State.
How to become a hospital champion: The NE Department of Health and Human Services, Nebraska Hospital Association, Nebraska Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPQIC), and the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska invite you to join the Nebraska Safe Babies - AHT/SBS Prevention Hospital Campaign. Nebraska has 54 Birthing Hospitals that routinely deliver babies, touching the lives of over 26,500 new babies, parents, and caregivers. Every day, health providers can educate with a prevention lens and utilize The Crying Plan to protect our babies from child abuse. Your hospital can make an impact by joining our exciting venture:
Champion step-by-step process