Contact: Heather Woolwine
843.792.7669
woolwinh@musc.edu
June 25, 2007
MUSC program to reduce the number of children harmed by shaken baby syndrome as state legislature passes law to require other hospitals to follow suit
(CHARLESTON) -- Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is the leading cause of head injury in small children in the United States. Determined to help reduce the numbers of SBS cases in the Lowcountry and beyond, MUSC social worker Gale Horinbein began a program that provides SBS education to parents before they leave the hospital with their baby for the first time.
While MUSC is believed to be the first in the state to implement this type of inpatient education program, the state recently passed legislation that requires all hospitals in South Carolina to provide information to new parents concerning the dangers, signs, symptoms, and consequences of SBS. The SBS bill passed the Senate and House in early June and will become law statewide Jan. 1.
Sue Rex, State Superintendent of Education's Jim Rexís wife, supported Horinbeinís efforts from the beginning, and facilitated the involvement of Sen. Gregg Ryberg (R-Aiken). Ryberg was instrumental in getting legislation to the statehouse.
Within the MUSC SBS Prevention Project, patients receive printed materials and one-on-one discussion separate from the barrage of other new parent information, and may also view a video depicting the stories of three children who were victims of SBS. Hispanic patients may view a Spanish version and can attain materials in their primary language.
"This is just something that I feel very strongly about, and the statistics from other states and hospitals suggest that an educational, one-on-one approach to providing this information can dramatically reduce the number of head injuries that are related to shaken baby syndrome," she said. "We believe parents are their childís best protectors. By educating parents, they can then be advocates to teach those who care for their children about the dangers of SBS," Horinbein said.
Shaken Baby Syndrome Facts
• Previous studies have suggested that about a half of parents and adolescents are not aware of the dangers of violent infant shaking.
• Men are most often the perpetrators of SBS.
• It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
• Shaking a child is child abuse.
• When a baby is shaken, the head whips back and forth and causes the brain to slam against the skull repeatedly. The sudden impact can prompt bleeding in the brain, spinal cord injuries or damage to the retina. Shaken children suffer a variety of horrible outcomes, including severe brain damage, blindness, paralysis, seizures, fractures or death.
• Caregivers should be educated on SBS, and parents should discuss ways to prevent it, i.e. offering a phone number so the caregiver can call if he or she becomes frustrated; assuring caregivers that placing a child who persistently cries in a safe place such as a crib, leaving the room, and then checking on the child periodically is acceptable (after the caregiver has exhausted all ways to relieve the child's distress).
• Everyday handling of a baby, playful acts or minor household accidents do not cause the forces necessary to create SBS injuries. Shaking injuries are not caused by: bouncing a baby on your knee; tossing a baby in the air; jogging or bicycling with a baby; falling off furniture; sudden stops in a car or driving over bumps.
For more information, visit http://www.dontshake.com
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, The Medical University of South Carolina is the oldest medical school in the South. Today, MUSC continues the tradition of excellence in education, research, and patient care. MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and residents, and has nearly 10,000 employees, including 1,300 faculty members. As the largest non-federal employer in Charleston, the university and its affiliates have collective annual budgets in excess of $1.3 billion. MUSC operates a 600-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children's Hospital and a leading Institute of Psychiatry. For more information on academic information or clinical services, visit www.musc.edu or www.muschealth.com.
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