[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 44 (Friday, April 7, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3400-S3401]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DESIGNATING THE THIRD WEEK OF APRIL AS ``NATIONAL SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME 
                            AWARENESS WEEK''

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 439, which was 
submitted earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 439) to designate the third week of 
     April 2006 as ``National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness 
     Week.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today, along with my colleague 
Senator Alexander, to introduce a resolution that of the resolution the 
Senate has passed to proclaim the third week of April of 2006 as Shaken 
Baby Syndrome Awareness Week. Last year, we passed a similar resolution 
and continue to support raising awareness of this important issue. I 
would like to recognize the many groups, particularly the National 
Shaken Baby Coalition and the SKIPPER Initiative, who support this 
effort to increase awareness of one of the most devastating forms of 
child abuse, one that results in the death or lifelong disability of 
hundreds of children each year.
  We must recognize child abuse and neglect as the public health 
problem it is, one that is linked with a host of other problems facing 
our country and one that needs the comprehensive approach of our entire 
public health system to solve. 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. In 2006, April is 
again National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
  The tragedy of child abuse is well documented. According to the 
National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, NCANDS, 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. Each day, nearly four of these children die as a result of 
this abuse. Most experts are certain that cases of child abuse and 
neglect are in fact underreported.
  Abusive head trauma, including the trauma known as Shaken Baby 
Syndrome, is recognized as the leading cause of death of physically 
abused children, especially young children. Shaken Baby Syndrome is a 
totally preventable form of child abuse that results from a caregiver 
losing control and shaking a baby, usually an infant who is less than 1 
year old. This severe shaking can kill the baby, or it can cause loss 
of vision, brain damage, paralysis, and seizures, resulting in lifelong 
disabilities and causing untold grief for many families.
  Too many families have experienced the pain of Shaken Baby Syndrome. 
A 2003 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association 
estimates

[[Page S3401]]

that, in the U.S., an average of 300 children will die each year, and 
600 to 1,200 more will be injured, of whom two-thirds will be babies or 
infants under 1 year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome. 
Medical professionals believe that thousands more cases of Shaken Baby 
Syndrome are being misdiagnosed or not detected.
  Families should be spared the needless tragedy of Shaken Baby 
Syndrome. Prevention is the most effective solution to ending Shaken 
Baby Syndrome. It is clear that the minimal costs of educational and 
prevention programs may help to protect our young children. Families as 
well as professionals who care for children must be made aware of the 
injuries that shaking can cause. In 1995, the U.S. Advisory Board on 
Child Abuse and Neglect recommended a universal approach to the 
prevention of child fatalities that included services such as home 
visitation by trained professionals or paraprofessionals, hospital-
linked outreach to parents of infants and toddlers, community-based 
programs designed for the specific needs of neighborhoods, and 
effective public education campaigns.
  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. In 1998, Dr. Mark Dias 
started the Upstate New York SBS Prevention Project at Children's 
Hospital of Buffalo, which uses a simple video to educate new parents 
before they leave the hospital. Since that time, the number of shaken 
baby incidents in the Buffalo area has dropped by nearly 50%; none of 
the perpetrators have been identified as participants in the hospital 
education program. Hospitals around the country, including several in 
my own State of Connecticut, have adopted programs similar to these to 
educate new parents about the dangers of shaking young children.
  I urge the Senate to adopt this resolution designating the third week 
of April of 2006 as National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week, and 
to take part in the many local and national activities and events 
recognizing the month of April as National Child Abuse Prevention 
Month.
  The prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome is supported by advocacy 
groups across the U.S. that were formed by parents and relatives of 
children who have been killed or injured by shaking. I ask unanimous 
consent that a list of groups supporting this resolution be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

     Groups Supporting National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week

       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.

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating 
thereto be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 439) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 439

       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 figures reveal 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 in the United States each day;
       Whereas children aged 1 year or younger accounted for 41.2 
     percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002, 
     and children aged 4 years or 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 can result in loss of vision, 
     brain damage, paralysis, seizures, or death;
       Whereas a 2003 report in the Journal of the American 
     Medical Association estimated 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 are 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 the abuse, and it is clear that the 
     minimal costs of education and prevention programs may 
     prevent enormous medical and disability costs and 
     immeasurable amounts of 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, including the National 
     Shaken Baby Coalition, the Shaken Baby Association, the 
     Shaking Kills: Instead Parents Please Educate and Remember 
     Initiative (commonly known as the ``SKIPPER 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 the families of the victims 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 approximately half of all citizens of the United States 
     believe that, of all the public health issues facing the 
     United States, child abuse and neglect is the most important 
     issue;
       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 2006 as ``National 
     Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week'';
       (2) commends those hospitals, child care councils, schools, 
     and other organizations that are--
       (A) working to increase awareness of the danger of shaking 
     young children; and
       (B) educating parents and caregivers on how they can help 
     protect children from injuries caused by abusive shaking; and
       (3) encourages the citizens of the United States to--
       (A) remember the victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome; and
       (B) participate in educational programs to help prevent 
     Shaken Baby Syndrome.




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