Don't Shake Babies

In the days after May 11, 2006 it was clear that Shaken Baby Syndrome took another little angel to the heaven above. Hannah Rose Juceam was shaken by her nanny in a senseless act of rage from the lack of proper education and training on how to handle stress when watching infants and toddlers.

There are many ways one can seek help if they are concerned about how to handle the pressure of a crying baby. When the phone is ringing, the bills are piling up and there is limited income one can imagine the frustrations of life can take a toll on parents, caregivers, babysitters and or anyone who is watching or caring for an infant or toddler. There is no excuse for harming a child for any reason. As an advocate and national speaker for children across the United States I have found a prevention program that can reduce the cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

In Sacramento California the Child Abuse Prevention Center launched a hospital based prevention program that uses materials to educate new parents BEFORE they leave the hospital after giving birth. The materials include a door hanger for the nursery that will be a reminder to the new parents to be careful and not to shake their new baby. In addition to the door hanger the materials include a Pledge form that the child's footprint is placed on that the parents will sign promising that they will not shake their baby. These are simply extra tools that nurses and prevention specialists can use to educate new parents. Since the launch of the prevention program there has been almost 70 % decrease in the cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome around the entire Sacramento region.

I have become a fierce advocate since my daughter Hannah was killed in the hands of a caregiver we trusted with our life. I urge everyone to help out and spread the word about the dangers of shaking babies. Please let everyone know don't shake babies.