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May is Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Month
A preventable, often life-threatening injury, Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is responsible for 95% of serious head injuries in children under the age of one.
Quick Facts
- It can happen quickly. Just 3 seconds of shaking can cause brain damage, paralysis, blindness, learning and behavior difficulties, and even death.
- The average age of SBS victims is 6 months old.
- Continuous crying is the number one reason caregivers shake babies.
The good news is that SBS is completely preventable. A few simple strategies can help caregivers cope with a crying baby and prevent the irreversible harm of SBS.
Many SBS resources are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (see links below). SBS often occurs when a parent or other caregiver is frustrated by a child's crying. These resources can help save lives and prevent lifelong complications.
By working together, all New Yorkers can reduce the harm of SBS. You may know caregivers who are stressed or are easily frustrated by a child's crying. Perhaps you can give them some of the resources listed below or offer to care for their child to give them a brief break. And, if you think a child has been shaken, seek proper medical care immediately and report the incident to the New York Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (Child Abuse Hotline) at 1-800-342-3720. It can save a child's life.
Resources
Many SBS resources are available to New Yorkers. In Western New York, the Finger Lakes region and the Hudson Valley, many new parents receive SBS materials in the hospital when their child is born and at their child's first immunization. This initiative has reduced SBS injuries by 47% in Western New York alone. Funded by OCFS through the William B. Hoyt Children and Family Trust Fund, this program was honored by the National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect.
To report child abuse and neglect in New York State call:
Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
1-800-342-3720
(If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police.)
24-hour child abuse support and resource centers:
Prevent Child Abuse New York
1-800-342-7472
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
1-800 4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)