Prevention Library
One violent shake can kill a baby
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A combination of stress and frustration can lead a caregiver to take their anger out on an infant or child. They just want the crying to stop but I only takes one violent shake to cause serious damage. "It's a lot like a whiplash injury. The brain slams against the back of the skull and then slams forward against the front of the skull and it bleeds and it bruises,” said Dr. Karen Haslund, a pediatrician.
Babies have such weak neck muscles and heavy heads that are sensitive to shaking even for a few seconds. "You don't set out, I think, ‘I'll hurt the baby today.’ You set out to do what you can to calm the baby down and it doesn't work and you get more and more and more frustrated. And eventually what happens is you pick them up and say would you please be quiet. It's not a subtle shaking it's very violent but it's very short, what I just did is enough to murder a baby,” Haslund said.
If the baby is crying try to meet its basic needs like feeding or changing the infant, or making it as comfortable as possible. Take the baby for a walk or a ride in the car. Play with a favorite toy or try holding the baby, give it a teething pacifier. But if you began feeling overwhelmed call a friend for support so you can take a break.
"It only takes three seconds. And we'd like for any audience that's listening to remember three seconds, three shakes, that's all it takes to change your life and that child's life forever,” said Melanie Mitchell of Any Baby Can.
Reprinted with permission. Copyright ©2005TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin