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Press Room
Summer Safety Tips for Kids and Families
By Jenna Buehler
Carroll County Comet writer-intern
Prevent Child Abuse Carroll County (PCACC), in an ongoing effort to provide information and education about the prevention of child abuse and neglect, is hosting "Prevention of Shaken Infant Syndrome." The free presentation will be June 21 at 7 p.m. in the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, in Flora.
Shaken Infant Baby Syndrome (SIS), also known as Shaken Baby Syndrome, generally results from tension and frustration generated by a child's crying or irritability.
According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS), SIS is caused by holding a child by the throat, and/or legs and shaking them violently back and forth, forcing the head to violently whip forward and backward. The action can sometimes cause obvious brain, bone and eye injuries. However, sever internal damage often goes undetected, as infants are unable to describe inner pain. A child is not able to communicate the resulting headaches, but may seem abnormally sleepy, or have extreme periods of crying and/or vomiting.
"An estimated 1,200 to 1,400 children are reported to suffer from the syndrome each year. That means nearly four children are affected each day," explained Nicole Mark, a NCSBS representative. "This is a big issue because no one knows about it."
"People don't realize how fragile and dependant on caregivers an infant is," Mark continued. "This abuse is 100 percent preventable."
PCACC President, Pam Ditson McCall said that the chapter
wants to promote the prevention program because the subject has a broad reach.
"SIS can effect people who would never intend to be abusive caregivers, yet a crying baby is a difficult thing for even the best of us," said Ditson- McCall. "Our main goal, through this program, is to help people know the symptoms, so they can get immediate help."
Thursday's presentation will identify dangers and consequences of shaking a young child. A trained SIS specialist will present a power-point to teach participants to identify causes, those at risk and physical injuries associated with SIS. Parents and others will learn how to cope with the frustration of caring for a crying child.
"Even the best caregiver sometimes cannot get a child to stop crying," says Prevent Child Abuse Indiana (PCAIN) trainer Carol Pool. "When a child can't be calmed, we suggest the caregiver step pack and calm themselves even if the child is still crying."
Pool says it's her job to curb Indiana's abuse statistics.
"Indiana has the highest child abuse and neglect rate in the nation," said Pool. "SIS is the second most common cause of infant death by abuse. It's our job to change that."
Carroll County Clinic RN Deb Mears encouraged the community to attend.
"Any program that will help educate the public, with the potential to prevent infant death, is beneficial for our community."
"We hope the community realizes that prevention is key and the best tool is knowledge to give better care and protection to our children," Ditson- McCall concluded.
For more information on SIS contact PCAIN at (317) 542- 7002 or www.pcain.org, or NCSBS at (888) 273-0071 or www.dontshake.com.
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