Wednesday, November 29, 2000

Protecting little ones

SRMC working with Clayton County DFACS to increase public awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is a condition that occurs after a baby is shaken so violently that the blood vessels connecting the brain to the skull are torn.

Of the 2,000 children who die each year from abuse or neglect, an estimated 10 to 12 percent die from SBS. Another 18,000 children suffer permanent disabilities such as paralysis, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and developmental delays.

According to Cathy Ratti, director of the Clayton County Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS), two infants have died in Clayton County in the last three years as a result of SBS and numerous other injuries have been attributed to it.

Clayton County DFACS is distributing door hangers to new mothers through the month of November to increase awareness of SBS and to help prevent it.

They have asked Southern Regional Medical Center to assist with these preventive efforts. The door hangers will be presented to new mothers at Southern Regional's Women's Center.

Since stress management is the key to SBS prevention, the door hangers provide suggestions for parents on what to do when their baby cries and what to do if they feel themselves getting frustrated with the crying.

The Clayton County DFACS and Southern Regional Medical Center want to spread the message to parents that they must never shake a baby, because it can cause permanent brain damage or even death.

For more information, call the Clayton County Department of Family and Children Services at 770-473-2300.

Southern Regional Health System provides comprehensive health resources including: Southern Regional Medical Center, a 410-bed, full-service hospital in Riverdale featuring a state-of-the-art outpatient surgery center, a women's center and one of the busiest and best emergency departments in the state; RiverWoods, Southern Regional Psychiatric Center, a psychiatric facility with a complete continuum of behavioral care services; Southern Regional Homecare, a home health agency providing home health services and home medical equipment and Surgery Center at Mt. Zion, a multi-specialty surgery center in Morrow.