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CHS students and SJRMC bring awareness to Shaken Baby Syndrome
Clarkston High School students in the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America recently completed a club project called “The Period of PURPLE crying” to bring awareness to Shaken Baby Syndrome at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.
Led by students Gabbi Flock and Kelly Higuera, and under the direction of advisor Debbie Romesburg, FCCLA members made more than 40 purple baby blankets and presented them to Family Beginnings at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. The blankets will be used for new babies and their parents will be given information about Shaken Baby Syndrome.
The acronym PURPLE is used to describe specific characteristics of an infant crying. During this period, parents and caregivers often get frustrated and it sometimes leads to shaking a baby to get it to stop crying, which can lead to Shaken Baby Syndrome.
SBS is a triad of medical symptoms: subdural hematoma, retinal hemorrhage, and brain swelling caused by intentional shaking. In a majority of cases there is no visible sign of external trauma.
SBS is often fatal and can cause severe brain damage, resulting in lifelong disability. Estimated death rates among infants with SBS range from 15-38 percent.
By bringing awareness to the problem, FCCLA students are attempting to get information out that frustration can be normal, but this phase in a baby’s development is normal and will pass. By understanding that this is normal and only temporary, the hope is that parents and caregivers will be more understanding and help prevent SBS.
St. Joseph RMC is excited by the initiative taken by the FCCLA students and to partner with them to get the word out about preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Flock and Higuera also are presenting information about Baby Shake Syndrome to several classes at Clarkston High, the Educational Opportunity Center and anyone else who is interested.
For more information on the project, contact Romesburg at Clarkston High or e-mail her at RomesburgD@csdk12.org
