Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness
Hillsdale County

Real Caregivers Rock

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     The Real Caregivers Rock Campaign is designed to alert parents and caretakers the dangers of shaking young children. Every year approximately 1,300 children experience severe or fatal head trauma as a direct result of abuse in the United States.

 

     Shaking an infant is unacceptable under any circumstances. Infants’ heads comprise about 25% of their body weight; infants also have underdeveloped neck muscles, this increases the likelihood of any infant victim of shaking to experience deadly injuries. The act of shaking a baby causes internal hemorrhaging of the brain; this blood flow has the opportunity to pool, causing even more damage. Immediate consequences include loss of consciousness and commonly death. If the child survives the immediate consequences of this type of abuse, long-term consequences such as permanent brain damage sometimes causing blindness and learning disabilities can result. 

 

     Yearly, CAPA partners with local community institutions including: churches, schools and local businesses in order to spread the word regarding the dangers of shaking infants. Local caregivers and their children participate by appearing on posters that are distributed to community locations these are designed to convey the message that shaking an infant is never acceptable under any circumstances. In addition, CAPA also publishes informative material in local newspapers and procures local radio spots. Real Caregivers Rock is designed to spread the word about Shaken Baby Syndrome and eliminate this avoidable and tragic abuse that affects this nations youth.