Jacksonville Mother Speaks Out About Shaken Baby Syndrome

A Jacksonville mother is warning other parents about the shaken baby syndrome, the leading cause of child abuse deaths in the U.S.

Bonita Tate’s daughter Deshauna was shaken by a family member in 1995, when she was a 52-day-old baby.

“When I got home, I found her in her swing, lifeless. She had had no oxygen to her brain for over an hour.”

Now, 22 years later, her adult daughter is nonverbal, uses a wheelchair and still wears diapers.

According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, the No. 1 trigger for shaken baby syndrome is frustration over a baby’s crying, and 25 percent of shaken babies die.

For children such as Deshauna, the complications can last a lifetime.

For resources and where to get information about shaken baby syndrome, visit dontshake.org.

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Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse. When a baby is shaken hard by the shoulders, arms, or legs, it can cause learning disabilities, behavior disorders, vision problems or blindness, hearing and speech issues, seizures, cerebral palsy, serious brain injury, and permanent disability. In some cases, it can even be fatal.

Causes

Ever notice how long it takes babies to hold their heads up? Their neck muscles start out weak and get stronger as they grow. The same goes for their brains, which still need time to develop.

When a baby is shaken, its brain can bounce between the front and back of its skull. This causes it to bleed, bruise, and swell. It only takes a few seconds of aggressive shaking for this to happen.

What It’s Not

Shaken baby syndrome is different from gently tossing a baby playfully into the air or bouncing a baby on your knee. Though their brains and necks are fragile, babies are also unlikely to get shaken injuries by falling off furniture or making sudden stops in a car.

Symptoms

Being shaken affects babies in many different ways. Symptoms include vomiting, bluish skin, tremors or shakes, breathing issues, and drowsiness. Babies may also become less interested in eating; have trouble sucking, and stop smiling and talking.

Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Baby Boxes Help Parents

Having a baby can be overwhelming.

90 by 30 is trying to make it a little easier.

The county-wide program is dedicated to preventing child abuse by 90 percent by 2030 and in the fall of last year, it rolled out the first tangible program aimed at achieving that goal.

The Baby Box program provides families residing in Lane County newborn essentials and, hopefully, a connection to the community.

“It’s based on Finland’s concept,” said 90 by 30’s Rachel Norquist. “It’s surrounding the goal of a safe sleep system and preventing SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) but the box is a vehicle to create a connection with the community so new parents have a support system.”

While new parents in Finland get an empty box for babies to sleep in, parents who receive a box from 90 by 30, get a bit more.

In every box, there are newborn essentials: a sleep sack, onesies, diapers, wipes and sanitizer. But that’s not all. Families are also gifted donated items handmade by organizations like Tummy Time Quilt and Click for Babies Cap. Both organizations create the products specifically for the baby boxes and try to include encouragement even when it’s not immediately obvious.

“The caps for the babies have a lot of purple in them to represent the ‘period of purple crying.’ Just as a reminder to new parents,” Norquist said.

The Period of PURPLE Crying is part of the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, a non-profit organization. The goal is to provide information to first-time parents on the misconceptions of “fussy” babies. According to the program, the period of PURPLE crying begins at approximately two weeks and runs until about four months old and is described as a developmental stage. The letters P-U-R-P-L-E- stand for Peak of Crying, Unexpected, Resists Soothing, Pain-like Face, Long Lasting and Evening, a way to remind parents that the crying will pass.

“It’s reassuring parents that sometimes babies cry and you’re not doing anything wrong,” Norquist said.

The program’s goal is to reduce frustration through education and decrease the cases of shaken baby syndrome. So, volunteers incorporate the color purple into their blankets and caps for the baby box.

“You should see their faces when they get this box,” Norquist said. “Some of our low-income families say they finally have a space for their baby.”

Since its conception last October, the program has handed out 26 baby boxes with only a staff of volunteers and one paid employee. “I come from corporate America and when we launched this box I said, ‘Guys, we just launched a product,’” Norquist said. “We launched a product with volunteers when it would have taken 30 people and a budget of a million dollars.”

Baby box applications are simple. South Lane County residents must fill out an invitation—which is less than a page long—or contact Norquist. There are no other requirements for receiving a baby box.

“It’s a self-referral program. We get people who their friends refer them but mostly it’s a self- referral and all they need is to reside in South Lane County,” Norquist said.

Currently, the program has 65 registrants and on Thursday, March 15, Norquist was off to deliver another box to a family and its newborn.

To register for a baby box or for more information, visit 90by30.com or contact (541) 870-0689.

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Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Woman Charged For Shaking Her Baby

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – A babysitter is facing charges after officials said she abused a 5-month-old baby.

Delfina Bautista, 30, was charged with aggravated battery to a child on Sunday.

Officials said the baby was hospitalized because she was lethargic after being in the care of Bautista, who is the child’s babysitter.

Doctors noticed injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome. They contacted police and the Department of Child and Family Services.

Bautista is due in court Wednesday.

The baby is currently in critical condition.

Click here to read the original.

When a baby is shaken, its brain can bounce between the front and back of its skull. This causes it to bleed, bruise, and swell. It only takes a few seconds of aggressive shaking for this to happen.

Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.

Father Only Gets Two Years In Shaken Baby Case

Father Only Gets Two Years In Shaken Baby Case

A Scott County child will not be allowed to see his parents again following a court order made Tuesday in Circuit Court.

A judge sentenced Luke Stallard to serve two years in prison and cease all contact with his son who was severely abused in 2016, according to information from the Scott County Commonwealth Attorney’s office.

Stallard’s wife Summer was given a four-year sentence last month after the state presented evidence of the child’s horrific injuries likely caused by shaken baby syndrome. The infant suffered a skull fracture, 23 broken ribs, subdural hematoma and lumbar injuries.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Marcus McClung had recommended a 20-year sentence for Summer Stallard and said last month he was “heartbroken” by Judge Jeffery Hamilton’s decision.

Click here to read the original.

Babies bring a lot of joy, but there can also be moments of frustration if you feel like you can’t console their crying. Most caregivers handle those times just fine. But if those feelings boil over, it can cross a line.

Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse. When a baby is shaken hard by the shoulders, arms, or legs, it can cause learning disabilities, behavior disorders, vision problems or blindness, hearing and speech issues, seizures, cerebral palsy, serious brain injury, and permanent disability. In some cases, it can even be fatal.

Causes

Ever notice how long it takes babies to hold their heads up? Their neck muscles start out weak and get stronger as they grow. The same goes for their brains, which still need time to develop.

When a baby is shaken, its brain can bounce between the front and back of its skull. This causes it to bleed, bruise, and swell. It only takes a few seconds of aggressive shaking for this to happen.

Scott Juceam is one of the leading advocates against Shaken Baby Syndrome. Scott’s life changed when his daughter Hannah was shaken to death by her nanny in 2006. Since then, Scott has dedicated his life to preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome and child abuse.

To learn more about me, please visit my website at www.ScottJuceam.com or you can click here.