FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Kim Kang
The Shaken Baby Syndrome Council
www.copetocare.com
612-387-6509

U.S. SENATORS  DODD AND LAMAR SPONSOR
 RESOLUTION DESIGNATING APRIL 17-23, 2006 AS
 NATIONAL SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME AWARENESS WEEK

On April 7, 2006, United States Senate Resolution 439, designating a “National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week” was passed.   U.S. Senators Christopher Dodd (Connecticut) and Lamar Alexander (Tennessee) sponsored the resolution with support from Senators Snowe, Landrieu, Clinton, Levin, Murray, Lieberman, Salazar, Durbin, and Coleman. 

 “On behalf of victim family members, professionals, and advocates across the United States, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to Senators Dodd and Lamar for their commitment in getting this resolution passed,” stated Kim Kang, Project Organizer for The Shaken Baby Syndrome Council.  “Everyone that is responsible for the care of a child should be educated about shaken baby syndrome,” she added. 

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS)  is a serious brain injury caused when a frustrated adult "shakes" a child. A review of 1,416 cases of shaken baby syndrome (average age of 3 1/2 months), found that 95% were preceded by crying.  The outcomes for children who are shaken are typically not good.  Previous studies suggest that 15-30% of children die and it is estimated that only about 15% escape without any type of permanent damage.    The remaining survivors often suffer from varying degrees of cerebral palsy, paralysis, mental retardation, epilepsy, visual/hearing impairments, as well as learning and behavioral difficulties. Shaken baby syndrome is a lifetime sentence of disabilities and
it is one of the most devastating forms of physical child abuse. 

The Shaken Baby Syndrome Council is an affiliation of organizations and individuals committed to preventing inflicted head trauma (Shaken baby syndrome).  It serves as a resource for sharing skills, knowledge, and information. Our mission is to foster collaboration among individuals, organizations, and agencies at the local, state, and national levels in order to support positive care giving skills while increasing public awareness and adoption of standards/laws that prevent inflicted head trauma (shaken baby syndrome.)

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     SBS affects an average of 3,000 children annually when a frustrated caregiver shakes an infant or toddler, killing 25% of them and permanently impairing 60%.  Outcomes for survivors typically include cerebral palsy, blindness, paralysis, deafness, seizures and learning or behavior difficulties.

     For more information, please visit the Shaken Baby Alliance website at www.shakenbaby.com

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