Often times a baby’s crying can be very frustrating, especially to someone that does not know how to identify what the cause is. There are times when a person can get so frustrated with the crying screams of an infant that they shake the baby out of frustration and anger. Their heads are shaken violently in a back and forth motion and the after effects of it are devastating. This usually happens with people other than the Mother of the infant like a boyfriend, a caregiver, a friend, but it has also happened with the Mother if they have been suffering from postpartum psychosis or having a lack of support and simply losing it with their baby. The most common age group this happens to are the babies in their infant stage, but this can occur even up to four years of age.
Every year 1,400 babies in the United States experience being shaken violently.
What Damage Occurs?
- Brain damage, with bleeding in and around the brain
- Blindness or detached retinas
- Broken bones
- Paralysis
- Cerebral Palsy
- Behavioral Disorders
- Spine damage or paralysis
- Seizures
- Impaired development including: Cognitive, motor, language and sensory skills
Signs of Shaken Baby Syndrome:
- Your baby will not stop crying no matter what you do
- Dilated pupils that will not respond when you flash light into the eyes
- Frequent vomiting
- Seizures
- Wont’t respond
- Coma
- Head is bent back, as well as their back
How Can Shaken Baby Syndrome Be Prevented?
- Educate anyone caring for the baby about how to calm and soothe your crying baby. Don’t assume everyone knows what to do.
- Do not allow anyone to spin an infant or toddler around by a leg or both arms
- Do not go jogging with an infant or toddler on your back or anyone else’s back
- Do not allow anyone, including yourself, to throw an infant or toddler up into the air repeatedly.
Things You Can Do To Distract A Crying Baby
- Make sure that if you or anyone caring for the baby are getting
- frustrated, to place the baby in a safe place like a crib and walk away for a couple of minutes. Take a breather and remember that the baby is needing something.
- Go through your checklist; changing a diaper, feeding, burping, holding a baby in a different position.
- Give your baby a pacifier or your finger to suck on.
- Sometimes a change in environment will help, go to a window and knock on the window to use distraction. Show the baby the birds that are outside.
- Step outside with the baby, getting some fresh air and sunshine for a few minutes can distract a baby to forget why they were crying (if all their immediate needs are met).
- Go for a car ride. Sometimes, movement in a car does the trick if a baby is too tired and just can’t fall asleep.
- Play different types of noise. Try music, ring tones from your phone, a vacuum, a hair dryer or turning on the tap in the sink or bath tub. Noise can always be a good way to distract a crying baby.
- Try Harvey Karps Five S’s (swaddle, side stomach position, shushing, swing and suck (pacifier or breast).
- Place your baby in a stroller and move around your home.
- Place your baby in a swing so that it can be rocked slowly
- Rock your baby in a rocking chair.
- Use ear plugs. By lowering the decible levels of the crying, you will be able to cope better with it and not feel anxiety.
- Give your baby a warm bath, water is very soothing and helps put baby to sleep, soundly.
- Massage your baby with some lotion or coconut oil.
- Hum a song or sing to your baby or shush your baby in a voice that is louder than their own crying, by holding them in a cradle position, facing and looking outward. Place above your breasts so that your mouth is directly above their ear and begin. The idea is that they hear your voice over their own crying.
- Try giving your baby gripe water (after two weeks old and must weigh 7 pounds).
Remember, crying is a form of communication from your baby. Their wants and needs are the same and there is nothing wrong with you or your baby. One thing might work and not work the next time, keep trying different things to distract your baby. If your baby is bringing both of their legs up and crying bloody murder, this indicates that they are in pain. Usually it is as simple as trapped gas and gripe water can take care of that, along with burping in different positions. If you are unable to get your baby to stop after an hour, consider calling a nurse help hotline within your area or take your baby to a Pediatric Urgent Care.
