Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Prevalent Danger

Immediate emergency treatment is necessary with SBS, usually including life-sustaining measures such as stopping internal bleeding and relieving pressure within the skull. Treatment includes medical, behavioral, and educational services. In addition to medical care, the child may need speech and language therapy, vision therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, as well as other special education services from feeding experts and behavioral consultants.

The implementation of the Kimberlin West Act of 2002 in California requires SBS education for parents at the time of a baby's birth. The rest of the states have followed California's example and implemented their own SBS prevention programs. Dr. Flaherty points out that some prevention strategies are now focusing on normalizing crying for caretakers by letting them know how much an infant may cry, giving them strategies that may help alleviate the crying, and letting them know that it's OK to put the baby in his crib, close the door and take a breather if all else fails. "Remember that no infant ever died from crying," she says.