[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 17 (Thursday, February 4, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S495]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD:
  S. 3003. 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 2010, important legislation that promotes 
awareness and prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma, 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, 794,000 children were victims of 
abuse and neglect in 2007. Babies are particularly vulnerable; in 2007, 
children aged 12 months or younger accounted for nearly 40 percent of 
all child abuse and neglect fatalities and children aged 4 years and 
younger 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 2/3 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 
2010, 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.
  Additionally, this bill will include a study to identify the current 
data collected on Shaken Baby Syndrome and examine the feasibility of 
collecting uniform, accurate data from all states regarding the 
incidence rates of Shaken Baby Syndrome, the characteristics of 
perpetrators, and the characteristics of victims. It is my hope that 
having this information will enable us to better reach those who may be 
at risk for Shaken Baby Syndrome and, thus, prevent Shaken Baby 
Syndrome.
  On behalf of the victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome, including Cynthia 
Gibbs from New York, Hannah Juceum from California, Sarah Donohue from 
New York, Kierra Harrison from Nevada, Miranda Raymond from 
Pennsylvania, Taylor Rogers from Illinois, Cassandra Castens from 
Arizona, Gabriela Poole from Florida, Amber Stone from New York, 
Bennett Sandwell from Missouri, Jamison Carmichael from Florida, 
Margaret Dittman from Texas, Dalton Fish from Indiana, Stephen 
Siegfried from Texas, Kaden Isings from Washington, Joseph Wells from 
Texas, Dawson Rath from Pennsylvania, Macie McCarty from Minnesota, 
Jake Belisle from Maine, Benjamin Zentz from Michigan, Chloe Salazar 
from New Mexico, Madison Musser of Oklahoma, Daniel Carbajal from 
Texas, Nykkole Becker from Minnesota, Gianna D'Alessio from Rhode 
Island, Brynn Ackley from Washington, Rachael Kang from Texas, John 
Sprague from Maryland, Ryan Sanders from Virginia, David Sedlet from 
California, Reagan Johnson from Virginia, Skipper Lithco from New York, 
Brittney Sheets from New York, Madilyne Wentz from Missouri, Nicolette 
Klinker from Colorado, Brianna Moore from West Virginia, Shania Maria 
from Massachusetts, Dayton Jones from Pennsylvania, Breanna Sherer from 
California, Evelyn Biondo from New York, Kenneth Hardy from 
Pennsylvania, Alexis Vazquez from Florida, Joshua True from Washington, 
Stephen David from California, Michael Blair from Arkansas, Olivia 
Thomas from Ohio, Kaleb Schwade from Florida, Aiden Jenkins from 
Pennsylvania, Isabella Clark from Pennsylvania, Aaron Cherry from 
Texas, Dominic Morelock from Ohio, Emmy Cole from Maine, Chelsea Forant 
from Massachusetts, Joshua Cross from Ohio, Gavin Calloway from 
Maryland, Christopher Daughtrey from North Carolina, McKynzee Goin from 
Oregon, Bryce McCormick from Florida, 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.
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