Shaken Baby Prevention Project Travels to Stanislaus

A team of professionals from The Child Abuse Prevention Center gathered in Stanislaus county to share information about the prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome.  The gathering, spearheaded by Karen Servas of Stanislaus county and Scott Moak of Prevent Child Abuse California, drew a packed conference room of social workers, hospital staff, law enforcement, family resource center staff and many more, all interested in hearing about an innovative prevention project that is making significant impacts to shaken baby deaths in Sacramento, CA.

The Child Abuse Prevention Council of Sacramento, all eight Sacramento birthing hospitals, and 24 Home Visitation programs joined together in June 2005 to unveil an innovative and comprehensive Sacramento County Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Program. The program is an evidence-based training program about infant crying and SBS for all new parents (18,000 annually) and is expected to reduce the rates of SBS by 50%. The $50,000 project is funded by the Sutter Medical Center Sacramento Community Collaborative Benefits Grant Program.

SBS is the injury of multiple organs including the brain, eyes and bones caused by the violent shaking of an infant or young child. There may be many factors within a family or care giving facility that lead to violent shaking, but typically the “last straw” is inconsolable infant crying. Babies do not die of crying, but they do die from being shaken. These needless infant deaths CAN be prevented and the Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Program is designed to do just that.