Education program helps reduce frequency of shaken baby syndrome

Twenty U.S. hospitals implemented a maternity care program to teach parents about the dangers of shaking infants, and how to cope safely with an infant’s crying, according to a study recently published in the journal Pediatrics. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the program in helping to reduce the frequency of shaking injuries.

Shaken baby syndrome is a form of child abuse that is diagnosed from a triad of symptoms: subdural hematoma, retinal hemorrhage, and brain swelling. In a majority of cases there is no visible sign of external trauma.

The educational program, which was delivered by maternity nurses, included a leaflet explaining abusive head trauma (“shaken baby syndrome”) and how to prevent it, an 8-minute video on the subject, and a statement signed by parents acknowledging receipt of the information and agreeing to share it with others who will care for the infant.

Researchers compared the frequency of shaking injuries in the three years after program implementation with the frequency during a five-year historical control period. They found a 75 percent decrease from 2.8 injuries per year (14 cases in 5 years) to 0.7 injuries per year (2 cases in 3 years).

The study concluded that parent education delivered in the hospital by maternity nurses greatly reduced newborns’ risks of an abusive head injury resulting from shaking.

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