Shaken baby syndrome (SBS), also known as abusive head trauma (AHT), is the most dangerous and most common form of abuse in children under one.  In an effort to spread awareness about normal infant crying, the number one trigger for the shaking and abuse of infants, the Parent Child Center of Tulsa, is joining a national public education campaign to make thousands of purple colored baby caps to give to parents and remind them about this frustrating, although normal, period in an infant’s development.

The grassroots campaign called, CLICK for Babies: Period of PURPLE Crying Caps, invites knitters and crocheters across North America to make purple colored baby caps which will be delivered to families in November and December with the Period of PURPLE Crying, an evidence based program that educates parents about normal infant crying, ways to cope with the crying and the dangers of reacting in frustration by shaking or abusing an infant.

“The program saves lives and saves families. Shaken Baby Syndrome not only hurts the child shaken but impacts the entire family,” says Jackie Gallegos, Kids on the Block Coordinator at The Parent Child Center of Tulsa. “The purple caps are meant to serve as a reminder for parents to review the information on normal infant crying and dangers of shaking they receive after the birth of their new baby,” says Maria Doyle, Training and Evaluation Director from the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. “Caring for a crying infant can be really frustrating. Parents need to know that it is okay to put an infant down in a safe place and walk away.”

The Parent Child Center of Tulsa has been invited to participate in the national CLICK for Babies campaign, now in its second year, by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome.  “In Oklahoma from 2001-2010 83 infants died from Abusive Head Trauma with many more shaken and possibly suffering from lifelong disabilities. Research shows that educating new mothers and families about normal infant crying and dangers of shaking a baby reduces incidences of Shaken Baby Syndrome. In Tulsa, 4 hospitals partner with The Parent Child Center of Tulsa in educating new moms and their families to reduce Shaken Baby Syndrome.,” says Keri Lyons, R.N., Never Shake a Baby Educator at The Parent Child Center of Tulsa.

The Parent Child Center of Tulsa has set a goal of collecting 1,500 purple caps for the 2012 campaign.  The Parent Child Center has partnered with Stitches of Tulsa to provide a discount on baby friendly purple yarn.   Caps will be collected from May through the end of September and distributed to babies in birthing hospitals during November and December.  Knitters and crocheters are invited to send their finished caps to The Parent Child Center of Tulsa main office at 1421 S Boston, Tulsa, OK 74119.

The program’s goal in 2012 is to double the number of mothers that participate in the Never Shake a Baby program. The program ultimately works to prevent abuse and neglect from occurring to the most vulnerable among society, babies.

Blue Cross and Shield of Oklahoma is helping PCCT meet that goal with a recent grant of $50,000 through the company’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Families initiative, which focuses on engaging children and their families in understanding the importance of healthy lifestyles and preventing and managing disease. The grant has allowed PCCT to hire an additional Never Shake a Baby prevention educator and extend their reach in Tulsa.

“Every parent I know has experienced moments when they feel completely at a loss as to how to calm their crying baby. When you’re exhausted and frustrated, that situation can escalate and you can overreact. It only takes three to five seconds to do irreparable harm by shaking a baby,” said Desiree Doherty, PCCT executive director. “With the help of community partners, like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, we can educate more parents of newborns about the dangers of shaking a baby and how to prevent it. The key is to understand crying as normal infant behavior and calming yourself while trying a variety of safe-for-baby soothing techniques.”

PCCT partners with hospitals in Tulsa County to deliver the Never Shake a Baby program to postnatal mothers, fathers, and other caregivers present at time of visitation. In 2011, the Never Shake a Baby hospital visitation program was presented to 2,228 birth mothers, 1,088 fathers, 706 other people present and 2,249 babies were represented (including births to multiples).

The Never Shake a Baby program also provides community education through local high schools, community organizations, and other entities presenting information regarding the prevention of
“Oklahoma has a high infant mortality rate, for a number of reasons, but the Never Shake a Baby program is combatting one of the causes that is often overlooked,” said Bert Marshall, BCBSOK president. “BCBSOK is proud to support Parent Child Center of Tulsa in their effort to educate parents to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome.”Shaken Baby Syndrome.

For more information about the Never Shake a Baby program visit parentchildcenter.org or 3seconds.org.

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma
Throughout its 72-year history, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has been committed to meeting the health care financing needs of Oklahomans. As the state’s oldest and largest private health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma provides health care benefit plans for more than 684,000 Oklahomans. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is well known for its broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, and medical management/behavioral health services. For more information, visit bcbsok.com.

About The Parent Child Center of Tulsa
The Parent Child Center of Tulsa is a Tulsa, Oklahoma based 401(c)3 organization working to prevent child abuse and neglect through education, treatment and advocacy. In 2011 The Parent Child Center’s programs reached over 27,000 people throughout the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. For more information on PCCT, please call 918-599-7999 or visit parentchildcenter.org.

Talking about bullying directly is an important step in understanding how the issue might be affecting kids. There are no “right or wrong” answers to these questions, but it is important to encourage kids to answer them honestly. Assure kids that they are not alone in addressing any problems that arise. Start conversations about bullying with questions like these:

• What does “bullying” mean to you?
• Describe what kids who bully are like. Why do you think people bully?
• Who are the adults you trust most when it comes to things like bullying?
• Have you ever felt scared to go to school because you were afraid of bullying? What ways have you tried to change it?
• What do you think parents can do to help stop bullying?
• Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
• What do you usually do when you see bullying going on?
• Do you ever see kids at your school being bullied by other kids? How does it make you feel?
• Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again?

Tips for working with your child’s school if he or she is being bullied:

• Keep a written record of all bullying incidents that your child reports to you. Record the names of the children involved, where and when the bullying occurred, and what happened.
• Immediately ask to meet with your child’s classroom teacher and explain your concerns in a friendly, non-confrontational way.
• Ask the teacher about his or her observations:

• Has he or she noticed or suspected bullying?
• How is your child getting along with others in class?
• Has he or she noticed that your child is being isolated, excluded from playground or other activities with students?
• Ask the teacher what he or she intends to do to investigate and help to stop the bullying.

• If you are concerned about how your child is coping with the stress of being bullied, ask to speak with your child’s guidance counselor or other school-based mental health professional.
• Set up a follow-up appointment with the teacher to discuss progress.
• If there is no improvement after reporting bullying to your child’s teacher, speak with the school principal.
• Keep notes from your meetings with teachers and administrators.

These and other materials are available online at: www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

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Session Videos
Morning: The Biology of Loss: What Happens When Attachments Are Impaired and How to Foster Resilience Part 1 – Part 2 - Part 3
Afternoon: In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: A Biopsychosocial Perspective on Addiction, from Heroin to Workaholism – Watch Video
Evening: Peer Orientation: Why Children Are Stressed, Why Parents and Teachers Are Disempowered and How to Restore a Healthy Balance in Adult-Child Relationships – Watch Video

Gabor Maté M.D. is a physician and bestselling author whose books have been published in nearly twenty languages worldwide. Dr. Maté is highly sought after for his expertise on a range of topics, from addiction and attention deficit disorder (ADD) to mind-body wellness, adolescent mental health, and parenting. He is widely known for the power, insight, clarity, candor, compassion, humor, and warmth of his presentations. Rather than offering facile, quick-fix solutions to these complex issues, Dr. Maté weaves together scientific research, case histories, and his own insights and experience to present a broad perspective that enlightens and empowers people to promote their own healing and that of those around them.

Background:
The Parent Child Center of Tulsa and the Oklahoma State Department of Health brought physician and bestselling author Gabor Maté M.D. to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a public seminar Thursday, April 12, 2012.