Shaking infants—even once— can kill or injure them for life

Crying

Babies cause stress for most people. For people not used to it, their response to this stress can be deadly. Here’s what you need to know, and to share with EVERYONE:

• Parents themselves most often cause the injury or death

• Don’t assume that a caregiver who loves you will feel the same way about your child

• A baby’s brain is fragile just like an egg inside a shell, and can be severely, even fatally, damaged inside the skull when shaken

• Infants who survive shaking can struggle with the consequences for life

• The potty training period, up to age 4, is another critical flash point for stress and frustration

• It’s not only shaking – but also squeezing or throwing a baby down on a bed or hard surface – that can be deadly