No
Fair Shake
Shaken baby injuries on rise in Idaho
By RUTH BROWN
rbrown@postregister.com
Deanise Franck loves her 4-year-old adoptive son, Caleb, but said he is a daily reminder of how one moment of frustration can damage a life.
Caleb has shaken baby syndrome. When he was 2 months old, Caleb was shaken by his biological father. The boy experienced both physical and mental damage. "The family suffers when this happens," Franck said. "His biological family fell completely apart after it." Shaken baby syndrome is the result of violently shaking an infant or child by the shoulders, arms or legs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The resulting whiplash effect can cause bleeding within the brain or the eyes.
Caleb was left with the IQ of an 18-month-old child. He also needs a feeding tube, has poor vision and is partially paralyzed on the right side of his body, Franck said. At age 4, Caleb's vocabulary is at about five words. Franck said her family does use some sign language with the boy. The boy's lack of verbal communication skills seems to frustrate him, Franck said, sending him into tears. Caleb's biological father, Brad V. Zsadanyi, is serving three to 10 years in prison for a 2010 conviction for felony injury to a
child.
Unfortunately, cases such as Caleb's are all too common in Idaho. The Early Childhood Coordinating Council reported that in 2011, the number of shaken baby cases in the state increased 200 percent.
According to Shaken Baby Prevention of Idaho, 57 percent of people who shake babies are male and 43 percent are female. More than 60 percent of people who shake babies are the infant's father, stepfather or a live-in boyfriend of the mother. Franck is part of Shaken Baby Prevention of Idaho, which works
to raise awareness with efforts such as an active Facebook page, where it post links to news articles and events as well as remembrances of children killed by shaking.
According to the CDC, shaken baby syndrome head trauma is the leading cause of death in infants. One in every four babies who is violently shaken will die from the injuries.
Fredrick Kern, 30, was sentenced Thursday to a rider program, with an underlying sentence of two to eight years, for shaking his 2-month-old son in September. On the day of Kern's sentencing, Administrative District Judge Jon Shindurling said he sees such cases far too often.
"I understand from having been a parent how frustrating it can be to deal with a fussy child," Shindurling said to Kern during his sentencing. "But to treat the child violently in those circumstances is not acceptable."
Dr. Jeremy Hertzig of the pediatric intensive care unit at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center said babies who come into the emergency room with shaken baby syndrome are usually brought in because they are having seizures, not waking up from sleep or not breathing correctly. Such problems can result from bleeding and/or swelling in the brain.
Bruising and fractures in the arms or ribs also are common due to the child being held so tightly, Hertzig said. Babies who are shaken may have long-term seizures, learning defects, cerebral palsy, vision defects and behavioral issues, among other problems, Hertzig said.
Franck and her husband, Kirk, have three adopted children and three biological children and also have
provided foster care for children. In addition to Caleb, they have been foster parents to three other children with shaken baby syndrome.
"We've been involved in foster care for over 10 years," Franck said. "... My husband and I never set out to adopt children, but our family grew from the needs of the kids; not from our needs."
Karla Covington became an advocate for education on shaken baby syndrome after her 20-month-old granddaughter, Hannah, died in 2008. The toddler was shaken by her day care provider. Covington
works to teach the importance of stepping away from a child if you become frustrated. It's OK to let the child cry for a few minutes until you can let frustrations ease before picking up a baby.
"The woman who shook Hannah, for example -- people thought she'd never do that," Covington said. "We never thought she would. ... That's when I realized that anyone is capable of doing this."
Photographer Pat Sutphin contributed to this report.
Ruth
Brown can be reached at 542-6750.
On the internet
Information on
shaken baby syndrome and ways to deal with crying children:
www.dontshake.orgwww.preventshakenbaby.org
Extra insight
Recent shaken baby criminal cases:
April 22, 2009:
"Woman charged in toddler death" tinyurl.com/Widerburg
March 9, 2010:
"I.F. father sentenced to prison" tinyurl.com/Zsadanyi
May 3, 2013:
"Father to serve rider" tinyurl.com/FredrickKern
Facts on shaken baby syndrome
One out of four shaken babies dies of his or her injuries.
Of the babies who survive, approximately 80 to 85 percent will be mentally or physically disabled.
Only 15 percent of babies don't suffer serious injuries and/or health problems.
Shaken baby syndrome is the leading cause of death in child abuse cases involving children younger than
1 year old.
The syndrome can occur in newborns and children up to 5 years old.
Statistics point to men as the likely perpetrators -- typically young men in their early 20s. Females who shake babies tend to be
caregivers.
From 20 to 50 percent of adult caregivers and parents said they did not know shaking a baby could have such serious consequences.
Source: Shaken Baby Prevention of IdahoSee
More
Fair Shake
Shaken baby injuries on rise in Idaho
By RUTH BROWN
rbrown@postregister.com
Deanise Franck loves her 4-year-old adoptive son, Caleb, but said he is a daily reminder of how one moment of frustration can damage a life.
Caleb has shaken baby syndrome. When he was 2 months old, Caleb was shaken by his biological father. The boy experienced both physical and mental damage. "The family suffers when this happens," Franck said. "His biological family fell completely apart after it." Shaken baby syndrome is the result of violently shaking an infant or child by the shoulders, arms or legs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The resulting whiplash effect can cause bleeding within the brain or the eyes.
Caleb was left with the IQ of an 18-month-old child. He also needs a feeding tube, has poor vision and is partially paralyzed on the right side of his body, Franck said. At age 4, Caleb's vocabulary is at about five words. Franck said her family does use some sign language with the boy. The boy's lack of verbal communication skills seems to frustrate him, Franck said, sending him into tears. Caleb's biological father, Brad V. Zsadanyi, is serving three to 10 years in prison for a 2010 conviction for felony injury to a
child.
Unfortunately, cases such as Caleb's are all too common in Idaho. The Early Childhood Coordinating Council reported that in 2011, the number of shaken baby cases in the state increased 200 percent.
According to Shaken Baby Prevention of Idaho, 57 percent of people who shake babies are male and 43 percent are female. More than 60 percent of people who shake babies are the infant's father, stepfather or a live-in boyfriend of the mother. Franck is part of Shaken Baby Prevention of Idaho, which works
to raise awareness with efforts such as an active Facebook page, where it post links to news articles and events as well as remembrances of children killed by shaking.
According to the CDC, shaken baby syndrome head trauma is the leading cause of death in infants. One in every four babies who is violently shaken will die from the injuries.
Fredrick Kern, 30, was sentenced Thursday to a rider program, with an underlying sentence of two to eight years, for shaking his 2-month-old son in September. On the day of Kern's sentencing, Administrative District Judge Jon Shindurling said he sees such cases far too often.
"I understand from having been a parent how frustrating it can be to deal with a fussy child," Shindurling said to Kern during his sentencing. "But to treat the child violently in those circumstances is not acceptable."
Dr. Jeremy Hertzig of the pediatric intensive care unit at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center said babies who come into the emergency room with shaken baby syndrome are usually brought in because they are having seizures, not waking up from sleep or not breathing correctly. Such problems can result from bleeding and/or swelling in the brain.
Bruising and fractures in the arms or ribs also are common due to the child being held so tightly, Hertzig said. Babies who are shaken may have long-term seizures, learning defects, cerebral palsy, vision defects and behavioral issues, among other problems, Hertzig said.
Franck and her husband, Kirk, have three adopted children and three biological children and also have
provided foster care for children. In addition to Caleb, they have been foster parents to three other children with shaken baby syndrome.
"We've been involved in foster care for over 10 years," Franck said. "... My husband and I never set out to adopt children, but our family grew from the needs of the kids; not from our needs."
Karla Covington became an advocate for education on shaken baby syndrome after her 20-month-old granddaughter, Hannah, died in 2008. The toddler was shaken by her day care provider. Covington
works to teach the importance of stepping away from a child if you become frustrated. It's OK to let the child cry for a few minutes until you can let frustrations ease before picking up a baby.
"The woman who shook Hannah, for example -- people thought she'd never do that," Covington said. "We never thought she would. ... That's when I realized that anyone is capable of doing this."
Photographer Pat Sutphin contributed to this report.
Ruth
Brown can be reached at 542-6750.
On the internet
Information on
shaken baby syndrome and ways to deal with crying children:
www.dontshake.orgwww.preventshakenbaby.org
Extra insight
Recent shaken baby criminal cases:
April 22, 2009:
"Woman charged in toddler death" tinyurl.com/Widerburg
March 9, 2010:
"I.F. father sentenced to prison" tinyurl.com/Zsadanyi
May 3, 2013:
"Father to serve rider" tinyurl.com/FredrickKern
Facts on shaken baby syndrome
One out of four shaken babies dies of his or her injuries.
Of the babies who survive, approximately 80 to 85 percent will be mentally or physically disabled.
Only 15 percent of babies don't suffer serious injuries and/or health problems.
Shaken baby syndrome is the leading cause of death in child abuse cases involving children younger than
1 year old.
The syndrome can occur in newborns and children up to 5 years old.
Statistics point to men as the likely perpetrators -- typically young men in their early 20s. Females who shake babies tend to be
caregivers.
From 20 to 50 percent of adult caregivers and parents said they did not know shaking a baby could have such serious consequences.
Source: Shaken Baby Prevention of IdahoSee
More