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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The month of April has been designated "National
3Child Abuse Prevention Month" as an annual tradition that was
4initiated in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The most recent National Child Abuse and Neglect
6Data System (NCANDS) figures show that almost 900,000 children
7were victims of abuse and neglect in the United States in 2004,
8causing unspeakable pain and suffering to our most vulnerable
9citizens; among the children who are victims of abuse and
10neglect, nearly four children die each day in this country; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Children age one and younger accounted for 45
12percent of child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2004, and
13children age three and younger accounted for 81 percent of all
14child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2004; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Abusive head trauma, including the trauma known as
16Shaken Baby Syndrome, is recognized as the leading cause of
17death of physically abused children; Shaken Baby Syndrome is a
18totally preventable form of child abuse, caused by a caregiver
19losing control and shaking a baby that is usually less than one
20year in age; it can result in loss of vision, brain damage,
21paralysis, seizures, or death; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, A 2003 report in the Journal of the American
2Medical Association estimates that, in the United States, an
3average of 300 children will die each year, and 600 to 1,200
4more will be injured, of whom two-thirds will be babies or
5infants under one year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby
6Syndrome, with many cases resulting in severe and permanent
7disabilities; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Medical professionals believe that thousands of
9additional cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are being misdiagnosed
10or not detected; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Shaken Baby Syndrome often results in permanent,
12irreparable brain damage or death to an infant and may result
13in more than $1,000,000 in medical costs to care for a single,
14disabled child in just the first few years of life; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The most effective solution for ending Shaken Baby
16Syndrome is to prevent such abuse, and it is clear that the
17minimal costs of education and prevention programs may prevent
18enormous medical and disability costs and untold grief for many
19families; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Prevention programs have demonstrated that
21educating new parents about the danger of shaking young
22children and how they can help protect their child from injury

 

 

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1can bring about a significant reduction in the number of cases
2of Shaken Baby Syndrome; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Education programs have been shown to raise
4awareness and provide critically important information about
5Shaken Baby Syndrome to parents, caregivers, daycare workers,
6child protection employees, law enforcement personnel, health
7care professionals, and legal representatives; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Efforts to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome are
9supported by advocacy groups across the United States that were
10formed by parents and relatives of children who have been
11killed or injured by shaking, such as the National Shaken Baby
12Coalition, the Shaken Baby Association, the SKIPPER (Shaking
13Kills: Instead Parents Please Educate and Remember)
14Initiative, the Shaken Baby Alliance, Shaken Baby Prevention,
15Inc., A Voice for Gabbi, Don't Shake Jake, the Kierra Harrison
16Foundation, the Cynthia Gibbs Foundation, Reagan's Rescue, the
17Hannah Rose Foundation, and the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation,
18whose mission is to educate the general public and
19professionals about Shaken Baby Syndrome and to increase
20support for victims and victims' families in the health care
21and criminal justice systems; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Child abuse prevention programs and "National
23Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week" are supported by the

 

 

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1National Shaken Baby Coalition, the National Center on Shaken
2Baby Syndrome, the Children's Defense Fund, the American
3Academy of Pediatrics, the Child Welfare League of America,
4Prevent Child Abuse America, the National Child Abuse
5Coalition, the National Exchange Club Foundation, the American
6Humane Association, the American Professional Society on the
7Abuse of Children, the Arc of the United States, the
8Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Children's
9Healthcare is a Legal Duty, Family Partnership, Family Voices,
10National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds,
11United Cerebral Palsy, the National Association of Children's
12Hospitals and related institutions, Never Shake a Baby
13Arizona/Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, the Center for Child
14Protection and Family Support, and many other organizations;
15therefore, be it
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
17ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in honor of survivors
18of Shaken Baby Syndrome like Kristina Simmons of Decatur,
19non-survivors like Taylor Nicole (Pinkas) Rogers of
20Edwardsville, Reagan Williams of Danville, Gabriella Manzardo
21of Naperville, Brynden Tyler Gibson of Herrin, Xavier Delgado
22of Sterling, and Ben Fitton of Paxton, and in honor of all the
23other precious children that did or did not survive, we hereby
24designate April 16-22, 2012, as "Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness
25Week" in the State of Illinois; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we commend those hospitals, child care
2councils, schools, and other organizations that are working to
3increase awareness of the danger of shaking young children and
4educate parents and caregivers as to how they can help protect
5children from such injuries; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That we encourage the people of Illinois to
7remember the victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome and to participate
8in educational programs to help prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome;
9and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11presented to the National Shaken Baby Coalition.