Displaying items by tag: abusive head trauma
Watch the Stories Unfold
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome is honored to share the personal stories of those affected by Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma. Please take a minute to watch these short video clips and learn from a few of the countless victims and their families that have been devastated by this preventable form of abuse.
Donor Spotlight
Philip Schweigert has been a long-time donor to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, supporting our mission to prevent shaken baby syndrome and promote the well-being of infants. We talked with Philip to find out more about him and where his generosity stems from.
What are you most passionate about? Why?
Family, children; their well being and the world we’re leaving for them. Bicycles. As to why; I have a wonderful family, and two terrific grandchildren. They are amazing people and mean so much to me. I’ve worked with children with severe disabilities for nearly 45 years. So children are a big part of my life and pretty much what got me up in the morning! The world seems like such a mess at times and I think that how we care for it and for one another especially our children is vitally important. Bicycles have always been a strong interest of mine, for alternative transportation, recreation, and more recently now a new vocation as a trained bicycle mechanic.
How would someone describe you?
I can only imagine what some might say! Others might say short with a short fuse at times. I do hope that they might say that I’m passionate, dedicated, and an advocate for children
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I practice Tai Chi. I worked on the railroad.
If you could change the world, what would you do?
Reverse the effects of climate change. Help to insure that families have the means (food, shelter, healthcare) to adequately care for their children. Insist that government work for the people rather than their party or special interests.
What first got you interested in being a donor for our organization?
I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Barr and hear him speak on the issue of shaken baby syndrome/AHT. I felt that it was important to increase awareness of SBS and how to prevent it. I was also afforded the opportunity to speak at your conference on two separate occasions about my experiences working with children with severe disabilities who were the victims of SBS.
Why are you supporting the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome?
I am supporting NCSBS because I believe that children should be safe from harm.Through my bicycle business I purchase, refurbish, and resale bicycles providing affordable bicycles, and alternative transportation, while raising money for the mission of protecting children and strengthening families.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
NCSBS, Keep up the good work! ALiM Cycles; For Kids’ Sake.
Attention on Prevention
Attention on Prevention podcast brings in guests to talk about the prevention of child and infant maltreatment as well as delve into other parenting issues. We'll bring in families of victims of abuse and victims themselves to discuss their stories, world experts in various medical fields to discuss current research and past experiences as well as other guests with legal and prevention backgrounds. Brought to you by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. You can find each month's episode here on our website or wherever you get your podcasts.
British Columbia Team Wins Child Abuse & Neglect Article of the Year for PURPLE Study
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) would like to congratulate our colleagues in British Columbia on having their research selected by the journal Child Abuse and Neglect as the 2018 article of the year. The article titled, Eight-year outcome of implementation of abusive head trauma prevention, is a hugely important contribution to the field of Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT) prevention and to the Period of PURPLE Crying program.
Anyone who has worked in the field of prevention can tell you just how challenging it is to move the needle. It is difficult to fully understand all aspects that contribute to something like child abuse. It requires diligence, persistence and a willingness to critically evaluate our efforts in order to make prevention effective. There is a saying that many of you have probably heard that guides those of us working in the field that goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
The years of effort and work to evaluate the PURPLE program by our colleagues in British Columbia hardly fits the analogy of an “ounce” of prevention, however, this recognition, I think, illustrates just how important and impactful prevention can be if we remain committed.
I hope that you will join all of us at the National Center in congratulating the researchers, academics, prevention professionals, and donors who made this study possible for this most impressive recognition.
Ryan Steinbeigle
Executive Director
National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome
New study reports a 35% reduction in shaken baby syndrome cases after implementation of the Period of PURPLE Crying prevention program
The implementation of the Period of PURPLE Crying prevention program is linked to a thirty-five percent reduction in hospitalizations with injuries related to shaken baby syndrome/abusive head trauma (SBS/AHT) according to a new study published in Child Abuse and Neglect.
“We know that the most common reason a child is shaken is because a parent or caregiver becomes frustrated with their baby’s crying,” said Ms. Marilyn Barr, co-author of the study and founding director of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS). “This study shows that the Period of PURPLE Crying is improving how parents and caregivers cope with uncontrollable crying and is helping to prevent life-changing, life-threatening injuries in newborns.”
The Period of PURPLE Crying program approaches SBS/AHT prevention by educating parents about increased crying between 2 weeks of age and 4-5 months of age as part of their infant’s normal development and the dangers of shaking an infant when frustrated with crying. Parents receive the program materials (booklet and DVD or booklet and mobile app) in a maternity delivery setting, usually in hospitals, and take the materials home with them. The Period of PURPLE Crying is a program of the NCSBS headquartered in Farmington, Utah.
The study compared SBS/AHT hospitalization rates prior to the PURPLE program being implemented in British Columbia (BC), Canada to SBS/AHT hospitalization rates after the program was implemented in 2009. In the eight years following the program’s implementation and despite the great recession, which has been shown to be a contributor to increased SBS/AHT, the rate of SBS/AHT hospitalizations for children less than two years of age fell from 6.7 cases to 4.4 cases per 100,000, a 35 percent decrease. Similarly, SBS/AHT hospitalizations for children less than one year old fell from 10.6 cases to 7.1 cases per 100,000, a reduction of 33 percent.
“Our research found that the Period of PURPLE Crying is associated with a significant reduction in shaken baby syndrome cases in British Columbia,” said Dr. Ronald Barr, the study’s lead author. “Our next steps are to further evaluate the success of the program and continue to increase awareness of the risks of shaken baby syndrome in BC.”
The study also found that 27 percent of mothers reviewed the PURPLE program materials in the maternity hospital, and 71 percent of mothers reviewed the materials in the 2-4 months following the delivery. Fifty percent of fathers also reviewed the materials in the 2-4 months following delivery. This finding is particularly important in showing the PURPLE program’s use later when the infant’s normal increased crying and parents’ frustration with the crying likely transpired. The increase in viewing after delivery suggests that having the materials at home benefited parents when the increased crying occurred.
Previous research on the Period of PURPLE Crying program showed that the program increased parents’ understanding of normal infant crying and influenced positive behaviors related to crying such as taking a break when their infant’s crying becomes too frustrating and sharing information about crying with other caregivers.
“We have heard from countless parents and caregivers about how the information in the Period of PURPLE Crying has helped them understand their baby’s crying and feel less frustrated,” says Ryan Steinbeigle, NCSBS Executive Director. “This new study is further evidence that the program helps families and keeps babies safe.”
Read full article by clicking this button: Full Article
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