MIchigan: Educating Teen Parents

WJRT in Flint, Michigan reports on a spike in SBS cases, and the efforts of a local pediatrician and hospital staff to reach out to teen fathers at local high schools and educate them not only about what not to do - but what to do - when caring for an infant. Link (video below)

FLINT (WJRT) -- (02/26/11) -- Doctors at Hurley Medical Center are reporting that Shaken Baby Syndrome is a rising problem in Flint.

After two shaken baby cases in Flint last month, a new awareness effort is underway in Mid-Michigan involving doctors reaching out to teens to put an end to the crime.

DeAngelo Henderson and Corey Yeager are the two young fathers who critically shook their month-old babies in January. Henderson's daughter died after the violent shaking. Yeager's daughter was last reported in critical condition. Both men could face more than 15 years in prison.

Preventing these cases is Dr. Faisal Mawri's passion. Mawri, a pediatrician, says he's seen one too many shaken baby cases at Hurley Medical Center. "Absolutely I care about it because shaken baby syndrome is 100 percent preventable," Mawri said.

Now, Mawri and his team are holding seminars at five Genesee County high schools to prevent the crime. The effort is part of a fellowship project funded by a $12,000 grant.

"We came in here today, handed them the baby and showed them what they shouldn't do with the baby," said Pediatric Emergency Physician Rachel Stanley. Following the seminar, the students were surveyed on the facts, tested two months later for retention, and then rewarded.

"I'm going to find all these kids again. I'm going to give them that survey and once they complete that survey, I'm going to give them a $10 gift card," said Hurley Medical Center pediatric researcher Beth Grundman. "Bringing in these babies brings a sense of reality to the whole educational department."