HR0228

LRB095 11653 KBJ 33823 r






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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Shaken baby syndrome is a type of inflicted 
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traumatic brain injury that occurs when a baby is violently 
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shaken; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Shaken baby syndrome causes the brain to bruise, 
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swell, or even bleed, which can ultimately lead to permanent, 
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severe brain damage or death; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The majority of shaken baby syndrome cases are 
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caused by a parent or a regular caregiver of the child who 
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shakes the baby out of frustration or stress due to 
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uncontrollable crying in children, usually between the ages of 
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3 and 8 months; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Approximately 20% of cases are fatal in the first 
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few days after injury, and the majority of the survivors of 
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shaken baby syndrome are left with handicaps ranging from mild 
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learning disorders and behavioral changes to moderate and 
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severe disorders, including profound mental and developmental 
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retardation, paralysis, blindness, or even leaving the baby in 
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a permanent vegetative state; and

 
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    WHEREAS, While some symptoms of shaken baby syndrome are 
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immediately apparent, more long-term damage may not be apparent 
 


 






HR0228
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LRB095 11653 KBJ 33823 r




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until the child reaches school age; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Although it is difficult to track the incidence of 
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shaken baby syndrome, the leading cause of death among child 
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abuse victims is due to head trauma injuries; and
 
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    WHEREAS, According to a North Carolina research project 
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published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 
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2003, approximately 30 per 100,000 children under the age of 
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one suffered inflicted brain injuries; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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urge the State Board of Education to develop a curriculum for 
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implementing shaken baby syndrome prevention and awareness 
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programs for junior high and high school students; and be it 
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further

 
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    RESOLVED, That we urge the program to incorporate resources 
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already provided by national organizations that promote 
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awareness, such as the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, 
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to educate students about the medical aspects of shaking 
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injuries, how to cope with the stress of caring for an infant, 
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and how to prevent shaken baby syndrome.