[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 45 (Friday, April 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 112--DESIGNATING THE THIRD WEEK OF APRIL IN 2005 AS 
            ``NATIONAL SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME AWARENESS WEEK''

  Mr. DODD (for himself, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Bayh, Mr. Bingaman, Ms. 
Cantwell, Mr. Coleman, Ms. Collins, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Inouye, 
Mr. Johnson, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Levin, Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Murray, Mr. 
Salazar, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Schumer, and Ms. Snowe) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 112

       Whereas the month of April has been designated ``National 
     Child Abuse Prevention Month'' as an annual tradition that 
     was initiated in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter;
       Whereas the most recent National Child Abuse and Neglect 
     Data System (NCANDS) figures show that almost 900,000 
     children were victims of abuse and neglect in the United 
     States in 2002, causing unspeakable pain and suffering to our 
     most vulnerable citizens;
       Whereas among the children who are victims of abuse and 
     neglect, nearly 4 children die each day in this country;
       Whereas children age 1 and younger accounted for 41.2 
     percent of child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002, and 
     children age 4 and younger accounted for 76.1 percent of all 
     child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002;
       Whereas abusive head trauma, including the trauma known as 
     Shaken Baby Syndrome, is recognized as the leading cause of 
     death of physically abused children;
       Whereas Shaken Baby Syndrome is a totally preventable form 
     of child abuse, caused by a caregiver losing control and 
     shaking a baby that is usually less than 1 year in age;
       Whereas Shaken Baby Syndrome can result in loss of vision, 
     brain damage, paralysis, seizures, or death;
       Whereas a 2003 report in the Journal of the American 
     Medical Association estimates that, in the United States, an 
     average of 300 children will die each year, and 600 to 1,200 
     more will be injured, of whom \2/3\ will be babies or infants 
     under 1 year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome, 
     with many cases resulting in severe and permanent 
     disabilities;
       Whereas medical professionals believe that thousands of 
     additional cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are being 
     misdiagnosed or not detected;
       Whereas Shaken Baby Syndrome often results in permanent, 
     irreparable brain damage or death to an infant and may result 
     in more than $1,000,000 in medical costs to care for a 
     single, disabled child in just the first few years of life;
       Whereas the most effective solution for ending Shaken Baby 
     Syndrome is to prevent such abuse, and it is clear that the 
     minimal costs of education and prevention programs may 
     prevent enormous medical and disability costs and untold 
     grief for many families;
       Whereas prevention programs have demonstrated that 
     educating new parents about the danger of shaking young 
     children and how they can help protect their child from 
     injury can bring about a significant reduction in the number 
     of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome;
       Whereas education programs have been shown to raise 
     awareness and provide critically important information about 
     Shaken Baby Syndrome to parents, caregivers, daycare workers, 
     child protection employees, law enforcement personnel, health 
     care professionals, and legal representatives;
       Whereas efforts to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome are 
     supported by advocacy groups across the United States that 
     were formed by parents and relatives of children who have 
     been killed or injured by shaking, such as the National 
     Shaken Baby Coalition, the Shaken Baby Association, the 
     SKIPPER (Shaking Kills: Instead Parents Please Educate and 
     Remember) Initiative, the Shaken Baby Alliance, Shaken Baby 
     Prevention, Inc., A Voice for Gabbi, Don't Shake Jake, and 
     the Kierra Harrison Foundation, whose mission is to educate 
     the general public and professionals about Shaken Baby 
     Syndrome and to increase support for victims and victim's 
     families in the health care and criminal justice systems;
       Whereas child abuse prevention programs and ``National 
     Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week'' are supported by the 
     National Shaken Baby Coalition, the National Center on Shaken 
     Baby Syndrome, the Children's Defense Fund, the American 
     Academy of Pediatrics, the Child Welfare League of America, 
     Prevent Child Abuse America, the National Child Abuse 
     Coalition, the National Exchange Club Foundation, the 
     American Humane Association, the American Professional 
     Society on the Abuse of Children, the Arc of the United 
     States, the Association of University Centers on 
     Disabilities, Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty, Family 
     Partnership, Family Voices, National Alliance of Children's 
     Trust and Prevention Funds, United Cerebral Palsy, the 
     National Association of Children's Hospitals and related 
     institutions, Never Shake a Baby Arizona/Prevent Child Abuse 
     Arizona, the Center for Child Protection and Family Support, 
     and many other organizations;
       Whereas a 2000 survey by Prevent Child Abuse America shows 
     that half of all Americans believe that of all the public 
     health issues facing this country, child abuse and neglect is 
     the most important;
       Whereas Congress previously designated the third week of 
     April 2001 as ``National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week 
     2001''; and
       Whereas Congress strongly supports efforts to protect 
     children from abuse and neglect: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the third week of April in 2005 as 
     ``National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week''; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States to remember 
     the victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome and to participate in 
     educational programs to help prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome.

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