Don't Shake the Baby

"When Betsan was young I though I couldn't manage. She cried all the time, I was exhausted and nothing worked. I felt such a failure, I got so angry with her I felt like shaking her to stop her noise. I had no idea how much that could hurt her."

Shaking is often a response to extreme frustration
Shaking can cause damage that you cannot see
Shaking can cause damage that is long lasting
Never shake a child for any reason
There are different ways to cope with a crying baby
Do not suffer alone, seek support from others

Different ways to cope

Why do people shake babies?
Often, although not always, babies and young children are shaken when a parent or carer becomes very frustrated when they will not stop crying due to colic, illness or feeding difficulties. On average a baby will cry for at least two hours every day. IF a baby has additional difficulties, they will cry more and this can be very stressful. One in ten babies cry much more than this average and many parents experience a great deal of difficulty managing this.

Many parents may not realise the extent of the damage that a shake can do to a young child.

What damage can shaking cause?
Shaking a baby can cause death or serious and long-lasting brain damage. Shaken Baby Syndrome is an injury that results when a baby is shaken fiercely so that his or her head wobbles rapidly back and forth. The force of this can tear the blood vessels that connect the brain and skull. This happens because a young child's neck muscles are not strong enough to hold their head firmly. The action of shaking can cause serious damage, even though the parent does not perceive it as fierce. Never ever shake a baby for any reason.

Ways to cope with a crying baby
Crying is the way all young babies make sure that their basic needs for hunger, thirst, a change of nappy and company get met. Crying is neither your fault nor the fault of your baby. Some of the ways to cope include:

Count to ten before doing anything and allow yourself to calm down.
Consider using a dummy.
Hug and cuddle your child - perhaps with the use of a baby-carrier so that they are close to your body in order to help soothe them.
Go for a walk or a drive to help them sleep.
Make use of a helpline in times of crisis.
If necessary walk out of the room for a short time, ensuring that you are nearby.
Ask someone else to take over for a while.

Warning Signs

A range of signs can indicate if a child may have been shaken, including feeding difficulties, lethargy, eye injuries, vomiting, irritability, speech and learning difficulities, developmental delay, seizures and paralysis.

Action

If you are worried about your child, take him or her to see your Doctor, Health Vistor or to the Casualty department. Seek support, including the helplines listed under Contacts (see right).

What to Say

Develop communication with your child using eye contact, smiling and cuddling and talking. This will develop your understandin and responsiveness to your baby's needs when he/she is having difficulties.

Prevention

It is never safe to shake a child, not even in play. It is important for siblings playing together or for the babysitter or any other carer to be made aware of the dangers.

Contacts

CRY SIS (Seven days per week advice & support line) 020 7404 5011
Parentline Plus 0808 800 2222
NHS Direct 24 hours 0845 4647
Your Health Visitor

Take a look at our parenting page here