HR0228 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0228 LRB095 11653 KBJ 33823 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

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

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

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

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

WHEREAS, While some symptoms of shaken baby syndrome are immediately apparent, more long-term damage may not be apparent until the child reaches school age; and

WHEREAS, Although it is difficult to track the incidence of shaken baby syndrome, the leading cause of death among child abuse victims is due to head trauma injuries; and

WHEREAS, According to a North Carolina research project published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003, approximately 30 per 100,000 children under the age of one suffered inflicted brain injuries; therefore, be it

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

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