Respite
best move
if nonstop
crying
Iowa, Nebraska groups
tim johnson
[email protected]
“There’s been way too many
infant deaths.”
Jean Armstrong of the
Shaken Baby Task Force cited
the July 14, 2011, death of
5-month-old Jackson Curtis
of Glenwood from a retinal
hemorrhage and several brain
hemorrhages and the Feb. 1
death of 13-month-old Ali-yanna
May of Pacific Junction
from injuries to the brain and
eyes. Jackson’s father, Jason,
36, was convicted Feb. 12 of
first-degree murder in the boy’s
team up on abuse message
Iowa and Nebraska child advocacy groups will use the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian
for the first-ever joint Prevent Child Abuse Month kickoff.
The Metropolitan Child Advocacy Coalition, Prevent Child Abuse Pottawattamie
County and Shaken Baby Task Force will hold Pinwheels for Prevention April 6 on
the bridge. Participants will gather at the bridge at 10: 30 a. m., pick up pinwheels and
form a line from one end to the other. At 11 a. m., Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan
and Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle will read a joint proclamation declaring April Prevent
Child Abuse Month.
After the ceremony, everyone can plant their pinwheels at a designated site, said
Susan Pawloski of Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska.
“We’re planning to plant 500 pinwheels at the event,” she said.“ We’ll have
some small pinwheels for the kids to take home.”
“We’re hoping that having both communities involved will really solidify the
message that we need to be focusing on positive parenting,” said Kate Gronstal,
community relations director for FAMILY Inc. Both organizations are part of Prevent
Child Abuse Pottawattamie County.
Bus rides from the Legislative Coffee to the bridge and back will be offered by
the Trailblazers organization.
Reporter Tim Johnson can be reached at
( 712) 325-5750 or by email at tjohnson@ nonpareilonline. com.
Bridge
–
RESPITE,
RESPITE, See Page 8A
Respite
best
death. Aliyanna’s mother’s boy-friend,
22, was
was
Colby Puckett,
friend, Colby
Puckett, 22,
first-degre murderandheld
arrested Feb. 8onsuspicion
8 on suspicion ofof firstdegree murder and held in the Mills
County Jail on
on $1 million bond. In
In
cases, doctors named abusive
both cases,
head trauma as
as the cause
cause of death.
death.
nonstop crying
Frustration from nonstop
crying is
the No.
No. 11 reason
reason aa baby is shaken
and often
reason for
for blunt force
often the reason
trauma to the baby, according
to
the Shaken
Shaken Baby
Task Force.
Baby Task
to the
person who touches
“Every
"Every person
your
your baby needs to know how to
calm aa crying baby,”
baby," said Jean
manager of the Fam-ily
Armstrong, manager
FamResource Center
Center at Methodist
ily Resource
Hospital and
Jennie Edmundson
and
Edmundson Hospital
member of the Shaken Baby
Baby Task
Force.
a better job of
Force.“"We
We need to do
doabetter
young males.”
educating young
males."
Armstrong
move if nonstop crying
has educated
more someone to
than8,000 students sinceshebegan
speaking to classes about
baby syndrome in 2002.
shaken
About 75 percent of babies who
have been shaken are left with life-long
disabilities and the other 25
percent die, she said.
“It is 100 percent preventable,”
she said.“The most important mes-sage
I leave is to put the baby in a
safe place, like a crib, face up with
noblankets, pillows orbumperpads
take over for them.
“If the student is a baby sitter,
I suggest they call their parents or
the baby’s parents,” she said.“ If it
is an adult, I suggest they call the
24-hour crying baby help line at
866-243-BABY ( 2229).
“Babies cry as a way to com-municate,
not to frustrate you,” she
said.“ That’s the only way they can
communicate.”
The Shaken Baby Task Force
offers the following tips for dealing
and walk away,” Armstrong said. withacrying baby:
Crying isawaytocommuni-cate
“Just make sure the baby is safe
before you leave the room.
discomforts like:
Hunger
“A baby can’t die from crying too
much,” she said.
Soiled diaper or diaper rash
Fever
If
caregiver isis still frustrated
If aa caregiver
Teething
after leaving the baby alone for
•Teething
for aa
wrapped around its
while, Armstrong suggests they call
its fin• Hair wrapped
••
••
•
tive to take over for awhile. Ask for
support from someone who under-
stands the frustration of caring for
crying baby. Finally, if you need
to, call the 24-hour crying baby help
line at 866-243-2229.
a