SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME
Coping with a baby’s non-stop crying is very frustrating. However, do not allow yourself or anyone to
shake the baby! Shaking does not stop the crying.
The baby is too young to understand that the crying
makes you upset and angry.
An injury caused by shaking a baby or toddler is
called “Shaken Baby Syndrome.” Shaking can cause
blindness, brain damage, cerebral palsy or even
death.
Being too playful with babies can also cause damage. Do not toss them on your knee or foot, or spin
them around. Anything that causes the baby’s head
to flop back and forth can cause damage.
Try Your Best to Comfort the Baby
The best way to cope with the crying is to learn
what to do for it. The first thing to do is to make
sure all the baby’s basic needs are met:
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Does the diaper need changing?
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Is the baby hungry or thirsty?
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Is the baby too warm or too cold?
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Is the baby bored or lonesome?
Young Parents in Lafayette County have been finding parenting assistance and support from the Young
Parent Support Group for the past ten years. This support group is provided to young parents in Lafayette
County and the surrounding community by the Lafayette County Health Department. Parenting is one of
the hardest jobs any of us will attempt to do. It is very
important for these young parents to have the opportunity to build their parenting
skills and learn about resources available for them.
To provide more resources to
our young families, the
Young Parents Support
Group has been placed under the umbrella of the
Building Tools for Young Parents. Through this expansion we are now providing cribs to qualifying families
and have received support from The Children’s Trust
Fund of Missouri. Other areas of support include a
monthly newsletter, a room full of gently used baby
clothes, an infant care class and infant massage kits to
local Parents As Teachers Programs.
Every decision we make as a community should reflect
©1999 Noodle Soup All Rights Reserved
our concern for our children. The experiences they
have as children will have a huge impact on the choices
they will make later in life. . Education and resources we
provide to them during this critical time will only improve the cultural and social environment for the entire
community.
LAFAYETTE COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENT
547 South 13 Highway
Lexington MO 64067
This program is sponsored with funds from the Lafayette County
Health Department and the Children’s Trust Fund. Do you want to be a
part? Purchase a Children’s Trust Fund License Plate, and the funds
raised by the sale of this special plate will benefit local child abuse
prevention projects. To order, send $25 to Prevent Child Abuse Missouri, PO Box 1641, Jefferson City, MO 65102-1641 or call or call
1.888.826.KIDS (5437)
660-259-4371 Fax (660) 259-6250
www.lafayettecountyhealth.org
An Equal Opportunity Employer * Services Provided on a
Non-Discriminatory Basis
When:
Time:
Where:
THINK Before You Spank!
Tips For A Healthier
New Year!
Monitor Your Child's Media!!
Monitor what your children see and hear on television,
in movies, and in music. Talk with your children about
“content”. Screen out sexually exploitative Web sites,
music and video. Be informed of what your children
see and hear when visiting friends. If you feel a movie
or TV program is inappropriate, redirect them to more
suitable programming.
It is tough to be a parent!
When your child acts bad you get angry. Sometimes it is
tough not to spank.
Next time try these ideas instead:
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Prevent Violence by Setting Good Examples!
Demonstrate and teach displays of affection, attention,
approval, and how to say “I’m sorry” and how to ask for,
give and accept forgiveness. All of these promote love,
good will, self-esteem and reduce the likelihood of violence, aggression, and negative, destructive words and
behaviors.
Set limits for your children by letting them know what’s
expected, and notice when they meet your expectations. Celebrate their successes with them. Try to avoid
hitting, slapping, or spanking. Your children may copy
you and think that it is OK to hit other people.
Stop! Cool off before you do anything.
When you are not mad ask yourself:
1. What is the matter with my child?
2. Is she tired, sick, or worried about something?
3. Can she do what I want?
4. Did I do something?
5. Am I still mad?
under three months old, you may
qualify to earn a crib through the
Lafayette County Health Department’s Crib Program. The
Crib comes with a mattress and crib sheets.
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Don’t say “no” all the time or your child will not listen.
Say “no” when they could hurt themselves or someone else.
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Help them tell you why they are upset. Use words;
talk about feelings.
Teach your child how to do what’s right.
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Don’t show him that hitting is okay.
Let your child know you mean what you say. Kids
need to be told over and over.
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Watch what you say. Mean words hurt a lot.
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Learn about children and how they grow. Talk to
other moms or dads or join a parent group.
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Take some time for yourself! You’ll feel better, and
wind up being a better mom or dad to your child!
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Help him feel good about himself. Use praise.
Be patient. It takes a while for kids to catch on because they are so little.
Expectant Parent Class
If you are expecting, don’t miss this opportunity to receive
valuable information. Be the best parent you can be. Sign
up for the Expectant Parent Class on March15, 2008 from
9:00am to 4:00. The cost for this program is $20.00 and
lunch will be provided. For those qualifying,
Call 259-4371 and speak to Donna to find out more details.
a scholarship is available.
Nutrition
Immunization Clinics:
Mondays 1-4
Early newborn care
Fetal development
Overall safety
Breast feeding
Postpartum
1st Thursday of each month 9-3:30 pm
Relaxation and breathing
2nd, 4th & 5th Wednesday of each month,
Minimize discomforts of pregnancy
9-4:00p
Open Clinic
What you can do:
Say, “Let’s do this instead.”, and show your child how.
A child learns by watching and helping.
Every child needs a safe place to sleep. A crib is the only
If you are pregnant or have a child
Because 1 to 3 year olds:
• Want to do it all the time by themselves
• Hate being away from mom and dad
• Get mad quickly
• Need to keep busy all the time
• Want to be good but do not know how
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Cribs
safe place designed to leave a child unattended while you are
sleeping.
Why Do KIds Get Into Trouble?
To register or for more information, call 259-4371 and speak
to Carolyn.
Spend as much time as you can with your child.
Because 3 year olds:
• Want to know “why”, and enjoy talking
• Like to make believe
• Learn by doing, try to please.
Because 4 year olds:
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Want to do it all by themselves
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Do things for themselves
Like to be the boss
Fight back when angry or upset
Know what they want to do and find it hard to stop
or be taken away
Because 5 year olds:
Know how to tell you what they want to do
Still find it hard to remember what to do every time
What you can do:
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Spend lots of time with your child
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Listen to what your child is saying. He might be afraid
or feel like he’s being pushed
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Plan what your are going to do together
Keep it simple. Remember how hard it is to follow too
many rules
Talk about being sad, angry, scared
Tell him when he pleases you-that will make him feel
great!
Be nice to your child. If she thinks she is bad, she may
act bad just to prove it.
Teach your child what’s right. Remember: don’t show him
that hitting is okay. Everybody has bad days, even your
kid! It’s all part of growing up!
© 1999 Noodle Soup All Rights Reserved