[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5088-S5089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD:
  S. 1204. A bill to enhance Federal efforts focused on public 
awareness and education about the risks and dangers associated with 
Shaken Baby Syndrome; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today I rise to introduce the Shaken Baby 
Syndrome Prevention Act of 2007, important legislation that promotes 
awareness and prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome, a devastating form of 
child abuse that results in the severe injury, disability or death of 
hundreds of children each year.
  Child abuse and neglect is a well-documented tragedy for some of our 
youngest and most vulnerable citizens. According to the National Child 
Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) almost 900,000 children were 
victims of abuse and neglect in 2005. More than four children die every 
single day as a result of abusive maltreatment in this country. Babies 
are particularly vulnerable; in 2005, children aged 12 months or 
younger accounted for nearly 42 percent of all child abuse and neglect 
fatalities and children under age 3 accounted for almost 77 percent. 
Yet even these disturbing statistics may not paint an accurate picture; 
most experts agree that child abuse is widely under-reported.
  Abusive head trauma, including Shaken Baby Syndrome, is the leading 
cause of death of physically abused children, in particular for infants 
younger than one. When a frustrated caregiver loses control and 
violently shakes a baby or impacts the baby's head, the trauma can kill 
the child or cause severe injuries, including loss of vision, loss of 
hearing, brain damage, paralysis, and/or seizures, resulting in 
lifelong disabilities and creating profound grief for many families.
  Far too many children have experienced the horrible devastation of 
Shaken Baby Syndrome. A 2003 report in the Journal of the American 
Medical Association estimates that as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome, 
an average of 300 U.S. children will die each year, and 600 to 1,200 
more will be injured, of whom two-thirds will be infants younger than 
one. Medical professionals believe that thousands of Shaken Baby 
Syndrome cases are misdiagnosed or undetected, as many children do not 
immediately exhibit obvious symptoms after the abuse.
  Prevention programs can significantly reduce the number of cases of 
Shaken Baby Syndrome. For example, the Upstate New York SBS Prevention 
Project at Children's Hospital of Buffalo has used a simple video to 
educate new parents before they leave the hospital, reducing the number 
of shaken baby incidents in the area by nearly 50 percent.
  In Connecticut, a multifaceted prevention approach involving 
hospitals, schools, childcare providers, and community-based 
organizations in awareness and training activities, including home 
visits and targeted outreach, has raised awareness and encouraged 
prevention across the state. Hospitals in many States educate new 
parents about the dangers of shaking a baby, yet it is estimated that 
less than 60 percent of parents of newborns receive information about 
the dangers of shaking a baby. Without more outreach, education and 
training, the risk of Shaken Baby Syndrome will persist.
  With the introduction of the Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Act of 
2007, I hope to reduce the number of children injured or killed by 
abusive head trauma, and ultimately to eliminate Shaken Baby Syndrome. 
Our initiative provides for the creation of a public health campaign, 
including development of a National Action Plan to identify effective, 
evidence-based strategies for prevention and awareness of SBS, and 
establishment of a cross-disciplinary advisory council to help 
coordinate national efforts.
  The campaign will educate the general public, parents, child care 
providers, health care professionals and others about the dangers of 
shaking, as well as healthy preventative approaches for frustrated 
parents and caregivers coping with a crying or fussy infant. The 
legislation ensures support for families who have been affected by SBS, 
and for families and caregivers struggling with infant crying, through 
a 24-hour hotline and an informational website. All of these activities 
are to be implemented through the coordination of existing programs 
and/or the establishment of new efforts, to bring together the best in 
current prevention, awareness and education practices to be expanded 
into areas in need.
  Awareness is absolutely critical to prevention. Families, 
professionals and caregivers responsible for infants and young children 
and must learn about the dangers of violent shaking and abusive impacts 
to the head.
  On behalf of the victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome, including Cynthia 
from New York, Hannah from California, Sarah from New York, Kierra from 
Nevada, Miranda from Pennsylvania, Taylor from Illinois, Cassandra from 
Arizona, Gabriela from Florida, Amber from New York, Bennett from 
Missouri, Jamison from Florida, Maggie from Texas, Dalton from Indiana, 
Stephen from Texas, Kaden from Washington, Joseph from Texas, Dawson 
from Pennsylvania, Macie from Minnesota, Jake from Maine, Benjamin from 
Michigan, Chloe from New Mexico, Madison of Oklahoma, Peanut from 
Texas, Nykkole from Minnesota, Gianna from Rhode Island, Brynn from 
Washington, Rachael from Texas, Jack from Maryland, Ryan from Virginia, 
David from California, Reagan from Virginia, Skipper from New York, and 
many other innocent lives lost or damaged, I look forward to working 
with my colleagues to see that this legislation becomes law so that we 
can expand efforts to eradicate Shaken Baby Syndrome.
  I ask unanimous consent that a list of groups supporting this 
resolution be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the list was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

   Groups Supporting the Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Act of 2007

       American Association of Neurological Surgeons; American 
     Professional Society on the Abuse of Children; American 
     Psychological Association; The Arc of the United States; 
     Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs; 
     Association of University Centers on Disabilities; Brain 
     Injury Association of America; Center for Child Protection 
     and Family Support; Child Welfare League of America; 
     Children's Defense Fund; Children's Healthcare is a Legal 
     Duty; Congress of Neurological Surgeons; The Connecticut 
     Children's Trust Fund; Council for Exceptional Children; 
     Cynthia Gibbs Foundation; Division for Early Childhood of the 
     Council for Exceptional Children; Easter Seals; Epilepsy 
     Foundation; Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; and The G.E.M. Child 
     Protection Foundation.
       Hannah Rose Foundation; IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators 
     Association; Kierra Harrison Foundation; Lifetime Family 
     Resource Center, Inc.; Massachusetts Citizens for Children; 
     The Multidisciplinary Pediatric Education and Evaluation 
     Consortium; National Association of Child Care Resource & 
     Referral Agencies; National Association of Children's 
     Hospitals; National Association of State Head Injury 
     Administrators; National Center for Learning Disabilities; 
     National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome; National Child Abuse 
     Coalition; National Family Partnership; National Respite 
     Coalition; National Shaken Baby Coalition; National Shaken 
     Baby Syndrome Nursing Network; Parents Anonymous; 
     Pennsylvania Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention and Awareness 
     Program; Prevent Child Abuse America; Shaken Baby 
     Association; Shaken Baby Prevention, Inc.; Shaking Kills: 
     Instead Parents Please Educate and Remember Initiative 
     (SKIPPER); United Cerebral Palsy; and Upstate New York Shaken 
     Baby Syndrome Prevention and Awareness Program.

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