Does this child have signs of shaken baby syndrome?
Shaken Baby Syndrome is a severe head injury caused when an infant or child is shaken violently. It usually occurs to children younger than 2, but could occur to children up to age 5. Shaking a baby or young child can cause permanent brain damage, blindness, or even death. Shaken Baby Syndrome causes such serious injuries for several reasons: a baby’s head is large and heavy in proportion to its body, so the whiplash effect of shaking is exaggerated; infants have space between the brain and skull to allow for growth; babies’ neck muscles and ligaments are weak and not fully developed; and an infant’s skull is soft. Shaken Baby Syndrome is usually caused when an angry or extremely frustrated parent or caregiver, not intending to hurt the baby, shakes the baby too hard, often in response to a baby’s non-stop crying. On rare occasions, similar injuries are caused accidently by tossing the baby in the air or jogging with the baby in a backpack. There are usually no outward physical signs of trauma, such as bruising, bleeding, or swelling. An eye exam may reveal retinal hemorrhage (bleeding behind the eye) or retinal detachment. Take this quick assessment to learn the warning signs of Shaken Baby Syndrome and help you determine if a baby you’re concerned about may be a victim.
ATTENTION: Parents/Guardians of a child who has been blinded by Shaken Baby Syndrome. We are looking for a 7-10 year old child who is blind as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome and who is in need of and is unable to afford a fully trained guide dog. The youth if chosen will serve as our spokesperson/actor for a tax exempt organization. We also would like a sibling that is 2-5 years older than the spokesperson to be part of our Christian Ministry Charity Program. As part of the program with the spokesperson/actor and the sibling to promote our charity we will ensure that if the campaign is successful the selected spokesperson/actor will be the first to receive a trained guide dog. Our goal is to select a candidate and sibling by January 2014. We invite a brief narrative and pictures directly from parents/guardians or anyone who may know of a child who meets the above criteria.
International Christian College and Seminary
Colegio Biblico International y Seminario
P.O. Box 530212
Debary Florida 32753-0212
877.391.3741
[email protected]