Several of the categories of exceptionality that we are covering this semester can be the result of a preventable tragedy: SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME. As educational assistants it is your ethical responsibility to care for all families in your community. Knowing that parenting is the toughest job that any person ever does in life, educational assistants can be sensitive to the demands and stresses that many families face. Offering to support families in your neighborhood can go a long way to preventing shaken baby syndrome. So too can providing information to every person that you meet about the syndrome, why it happens, what the result is and how to prevent it.
The link below offers valuable information to support your understanding of this serious condition. Preventing multiple, severe and neurological disabilities can be a rewarding way to contribute your skills and knowledge.
Shaken Baby Syndrome
PURPLE stands for:
ReplyDeleteP: Peak Patterns
U: Unpredictable
R: Resistant to Soothing
P: Pain
L:Long Bouts of Crying
E:Evening Crying
It is important to know this information so we can help prevent SBS, can provide awareness and educate other people about it. By knowing this information we can pass it on and hope the people we tell pass it on to someone else (chain effect).
We can share this information with friends, family, new/expecting parents,and people in our community .
We should share this information when we observe a parent, friend or family member becoming frustrated or overwhelmed with their child is crying. It would also be a good idea to share this information when a friend or family member expresses how hard it is with a baby who will not stop crying and are at their wits end. We can explain to them that it is just a stage, that it could be beneficial to contact a helpline for support and it might help to take a break, leaving your child in a safe place with someone you trust (friend/family member).
The two categories SBS fall under are: Neurological and Severe/Multiple Disabilities
What Does P.U.R.P.L.E stand for?
ReplyDeletePeak Pattern: Crying peaks around 2 months, then decreases.
Unpredictable: Crying for long periods can come and go for no reason.
Resistant to Soothing: The baby may keep crying for long periods.
Pain-like Look on Face.
Long Bouts of Crying: Crying can go on for hours.
Evening Crying: Baby cries more in the afternoon and evening.
It is important to know this information so that the parent or caregiver can know and understand that despite their frustrations, this crying is normal, and will not last forever. As well, it can help keep in perspective that the baby is NOT doing this to aggravate the care-giver and this is part of their natural and healthy development.
This information can be shared with any individual who is expecting or has recently had a baby, as well as any person who is going to be caring for a small infant. It is best to share this information before the baby comes, or in advance of child care. If the parent or caregiver has a history of temper issues, or is easily frustrated, it is best to inform them of the normalcy of crying outbreaks well in advance of them watching the baby, so that they can set up supports or prepare potential solutions should they find themselves in a situation that has the potential to result in SBS. It is also advisable to provide these individuals with potential support ideas such as phone numbers for other friends or family member who can come and support them, or new parent support lines.
Shaken Baby Syndrome is related to Neurological disorders and Special Health Care Needs such as the following:
Blindness
■ Mental retardation or developmental delays (any significant lags in a child’s physical, cognitive, behavioral, emotional, or social development, in comparison with norms) and learning disabilities
■ Cerebral palsy
■ Severe motor dysfunction (muscle weakness or paralysis)
■ Spasticity (a condition in which certain muscles are continuously contracted—this contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles and may interfere with movement, speech, and manner of walking)
■ Seizures
As a parent, my emotional response to SBS is one of despair as this is so preventable. However, having been through the sleepless nights of crying babies, I can see how there are times when a parent or caregiver loses their reason and gets to a point of no return. I hope that with further attention given to this syndrome, and more supports being made available to the parents and care givers of children, that we will see a decline in the incidence of this horrible diagnosis.
PURPLE in ‘Period of PURPLE crying’ stands for:
ReplyDeletePeak Pattern: Crying peaks around 2 months, then decreases.
Unpredictable: Crying for long periods can come and go for no reason.
Resistant to Soothing: The baby may keep crying for long periods.
Pain-like look on fce.
Long Bouts of Crying: Crying can go on for hours.
Evening Crying: Baby cries more in the afternoon and evening.
It is very important to know about Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) and its prevention. By being informed about the risks of shaking a baby, causes of SBS and strategies for dealing with crying bay, parents and caregivers can make better choices while caring for the babies in a stressful situation. The information in “A Journalist Guide to Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Preventable Tragedy” should be shared with anybody who takes care of a baby or know somebody who does so they can share it with them. It would be a good idea to have the booklet available as a part of prenatal package given to pregnant women at the first doctor’s appointment. It should be a part of the information given to new parents before they take their new baby home from the hospital.
The SBS can cause neurological disorders and special health care needs.
Knowing that SBS is completely preventable, but still occurs with shocking regularity, is appalling. Babies who are born healthy becoming babies with special needs in a blink of an eye… Unacceptable!
Great idea to have it as a prenatal package!!!!
DeleteThanks Angela :)
DeleteI agree
DeletePurple stands for:
ReplyDeletePeak Patterns
Unpredictable
Resistant to soothing
Pain
Long bouts of crying
Evening crying
It is important for me to know this information, because all babies are different. A lot of babies are inconsolable, which makes parents/caregivers mad, angry and frustrated. It is important to understand that this is very normal, and that everyone needs help. It is ok to ask for help, and it's ok to offer your help to someone as well. It is also important for us as EA's to know, because we will be working a lot with underprivalged families, and families who do not have much support. Through us, they can learn a lot, and we can help save a life.
I am able to share this information to family and friends, and daycares. It's very easy to say that you would never shake a baby, but in reality, bouncing them on your lap; the harder they cry the harder you bounce. This can equal out to the same thing as shaking your baby. This can happen as of tonight, because my friend as well as cousins are pregnant, and all 3 of them are first time moms. (and dads). Hopefully this information can help them in the long run and over come the SBS.
Category:
Brain Injury
Emotional Response:
My emotional response is varied. I find it extremely tragic that this happens, especially since it can be prevented. I also find it sad that parents/caregivers don't know any different, because they don't have the right information. On the other side, working with infants in a daycare, I can relate to why it would happen. When that baby just doesn't stop crying and there's no way to stop him/her, it's so very frustrating. Although I've been trained not to shake them, or bounce them on my lap, I do understand why parents/caregivers do in fact commit this act. Melody's Response
ANGELA'S RESPONSE
ReplyDeleteP.U.R.P.L.E stands for:
P- Peak pattern: crying peaks around 2 months, then decreases.
U- Unpredictable: crying for long periods can come and go for no reason.
R- Resistant to soothing: baby may keep crying for long periods.
P- Pain-like look on face.
L- Long bouts of crying: crying can go on for hours
E- Evening crying: baby cries more in the afternoon and evening.
It is important to know this information so you can be informed yourself if you are a parent or caregiver or are going to be. It's important to know that you are not alone and that what you are going through is "normal" and it will pass. This information is so important to know as there are many people out there who may not fully understand the repercussions.
You could share this information with new or soon to be new parents or caregivers, or anyone you know who is thinking about having a child, this way they are fully prepared ahead of time on the struggles of being a new parent. I think a good time to share this information would in high schools, as unplanned pregnancies are at a rise and the more informed students are the more they would be prepared to handle the P.U.R.P.L.E period.
The categories of disability that are affected by S.B.S are neurological disorders and severe/multiple disorders.
My emotional response to S.B.S. is quite extreme, as it is preventative. I can fully understand how someone could get to that point, however if you are educated in what to expect and knowing that it is okay to set the baby down and take a breather during those tough times, there is no excuse to shake a baby! It makes me sad to know that someone could do such damage to a baby, and that baby's life will be changed forever.
ROB'S RESPONSE
ReplyDeleteIt's important for us to know because when we become or for some of us who are parents now, it's good to know what the baby wants. Example, if the baby needs a feeding or a change of diaper.
ABDUL'S RESPONSE
ReplyDeleteIt is important for me to knew that as parents or caregivers why the baby is crying and what should the adult do the help calm and soothe the baby.
Christine Greatorex- January 15, 2014
ReplyDeleteThe period of purple crying refers to times during the first four months of a baby's life when they cry often and are at times inconsolable.
PURPLE stands for: Peak Pattern, Unpredictable, Resistant to Soothing, Pain-like Look on face, Long bouts of crying, Evening Crying.
It is important for me to know this information so that I can share it with others and raise awareness about what happens when you shake a baby, and offer ideas for alternative coping skills caregivers could use in frustrating situations.
Shaken baby syndrome can result in death, vision problems, developmental consequences, cerebral palsy, severe motor dysfunction, spasticity, and seizures.
The thought of someone shaking a baby because they are frustrated makes me feel a wide range of emotions. I feel angry towards anyone who would harm a child and disgusted at the thought of causing them a long term disability.
My emotional response to Shaken Baby Syndrome is that of anger and sadness. To think that a parent or caregiver could become so frustrated with a baby that they would cause them harm. As a mom (especially to twins), I am very aware of sleep deprivation and the frustration that comes with babies who cry a lot but I would never shake them, they are only innocent babies.
ReplyDelete