Prevention: Legislative Champions

The summer brings news that two legislators who have been champions for prevention legislation are moving on...

In New York, Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, who sponsored a bill calling for education for new parents in 2000 and who played an important role in securing funding for the expansion of the program developed by Mark Dias at Children's Hospital of Buffalo into the Upstate New York SBS Prevention Program, left the Assembly in July, after 19 years of service, to become Senior Vice President for Regional Economic Development at the Empire State Development Corporation.

In Virginia, Representative Glenn Oder is leaving Virginia's House of Delegates to become the new executive director of the Fort Monroe Authority. HCR 632, a legislative bill introduced by Rep. Oder in 2010 at the request of Steve Stowe and Shaken Baby Syndrome of Virginia, Inc., directed Virginia's Joint Commission on Health Care to study the costs of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) and identify best practices in reducing the incidence of SBS in Virginia.

Thanks to both for their efforts on behalf of preventing SBS.

We'll be needing some replacements...nominations, anyone?

SBS Prevention Tales of Two States: Michigan, Kentucky

In Michigan, HealthCanal.com reports a pediatrician at Mott Children's Hospital is working with Flint High schools to increase awareness about the vulnerability of young children to inflicted head injuries.  The project is supported by a CATCH grant from the AAP, funded by Pfzier ..

U-M pediatrician strives to improve children’s health through community-based initiative

08/07/2011 - There are approximately 1,300-1,600 reported cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) each year in the U.S. One out of four babies with Shaken Baby Syndrome die. The other three babies will need ongoing medical attention for the rest of their short life spans.

Faisal Mawri, M.D., FAAP, a pediatrician at U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, has developed a community-based initiative to combat this health challenge. With support from the Community Access To Child Health (CATCH) Program, a national program of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Mawri endeavors to reduce the incidence of SBS in the Flint area.

“Shaken Baby Syndrome or Abusive Head Trauma is a form of inflicted head trauma on infants and young children. SBS represents one of the most severe forms of child abuse with up to 30% mortality among infants. Despite the severity of the injuries and enormous societal cost, SBS continue to occur frequently in our society.” Mawri said. “I believe the Flint area has a higher per capita Shaken Baby Syndrome rate than the national average.”

Through a CATCH implementation grant, Mawri was able to create the Keep Infants Safe and Secure (KISS) program for local schools. Mawri’s research shows that young first-time parents, particularly young fathers, benefit from education about SBS. The KISS program is working with three Flint high schools to educate the students about the effects and dangers of SBS.

"With a relatively small grant, pediatricians with a vision can make a big difference to help make communities healthier for the children who live there," says O. Marion Burton, M.D., FAAP, president of the AAP. AAP has recently awarded twenty-five CATCH implementation grants nationwide, totaling $280,655. Mawri’s project is supported in full by Pfizer.

And in Kentucky, following Kentucky's 2010 adoption of SBS prevention legislation sponsored by Rep. Adda Wuchner, WLKY.com reports that child abuse deaths are showing an encouraging trend...

Child Abuse Deaths Down In Kentucky
Number Still Above National Average

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -July 7, 2011 - The latest report on child abuse deaths shows Kentucky has lost its No. 1 ranking, but is still above the national average.   The only forensic pediatrician in the state said the improvement in ranking is due in part to increased awareness and training.

Kosair Children's Hospital said it sees about 75 cases of abusive head trauma each year, one-third of those cases resulting in death.   Experts said in these cases, the explanation of the child's injuries usually does not match the trauma suffered, and medical professionals need to know the difference.

"When it's a case of abusive head trauma, almost always either the child comes in with no history of trauma. Yet the child clearly has suffered trauma to the head, or there's a history that is just not consistent with what we're finding," said Dr. Melissa Currie.

Currie said the most common trigger for abusive head trauma is crying.  Offering help to new moms, and teaching caregivers it's OK to lay a baby in a safe place and take a break, goes a long way in preventing these deaths and injuries.

Read more: http://www.wlky.com/news/28471002/detail.html#ixzz1RXB0ZFK6

Good News Iowa: Governor Signs SBS Prevention Legislation

(photo courtesy IowaPolitics.com via Flickr)

Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed SBS prevention legislation into law today.

Congratulations to the folks in Iowa who advocated for this legislation, and to the legislators and governor for their quick action in adopting this important protection into law.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Gov. Chet Culver said Thursday that a new law is just the beginning of efforts to end shaken baby syndrome cases in Iowa.

The new law will establish a statewide program to educate parents and caregivers.

Culver and his wife Mari were joined by a group of advocates for children and those against child abuse as the governor signed the new bill into law.

The law now requires the Iowa Department of Public Health to establish an initiative to teach new parents and daycare provider's techniques for dealing with anger and frustration.

Culver said it's the first step in educating about the dangers of shaken baby syndrome.

"From 1997 to 2005, shaken baby syndrome was the cause of 47 of 112 homicides of infants. It was the leading cause of death of these children," said Culver.

Officials said because shaken baby syndrome cases are 100 percent preventable, the law also would make more resources available to parents to give them the tools they need to care for their children in a positive environment.

Good News Ohio: New SBS Prevention Materials

Last year, Ohio passed Claire’s Law, which mandated the development and distribution of education materials.

The SBS Workgroup announced today that they have created a Shaken Baby Syndrome Web page on the Ohio Department of Health Web site. Link

Currently, the page has a teaching tool and parent certificates. New resources, features and materials, including a Spanish-language version, will be added when they are available.

As the act of creation generally tends to take some time, and there are a lot of materials available already, I hope they will be borrowing and adapting things to fill those gaps - such as some of the resources linked to on this page
http://skippervigil.blogspot.com/2008/12/there-are-lot-of-brochures-out-there.html

The Ohio webpage will be used to distribute materials to new and expectant parents via hospitals and birthing centers, obstetricians’ and pediatricians’ offices, child birth educators and Help Me Grow. Licensed child care centers, type A homes and certified type B family child care homes are required to provide the materials to their staff.

The SBS Workgroup asks everyone to spread word about the Ohio Web page and prevention materials by sharing the news via listserves or e-mails to colleagues.

(Thanks to Jon Fishpaw for the update!)

Good News: Iowa House Committee 21-0 For Prevention - Hospitals, Nurses, Primary Care and Psychologists Undecided

The Iowa legislature took an important step foward on prevention legislation.

The House Human Resources committee voted 21-0 in favor of House File 65, moving it to the House floor for consideration.

Of note, the Iowa legislative website reports on lobbyists who've declared a position on legislation.   It's interesting to see who supports this legislation - and who doesn't.   

There are a few mysteries in the ranks.  Polk County is undecided (who knew?).  

And it appears that the folks who represent hospitals, nurses, primary care and psychologists are undecided about whether they favor preventing inflicted injuries or not. 

A bill for an act establishing a shaken baby syndrome prevention program in the department of public health. (See Cmte. Bill HF 406)  John Pederson FEBRUARY 16, 2009 For        United Ways of IA Matt Eide FEBRUARY 16, 2009 For        United Ways of IA Melissa Peterson FEBRUARY 16, 2009 For        United Ways of IA Jennifer Harbison FEBRUARY 12, 2009 For        IA. Academy of Family Physicians Mary O'Brien FEBRUARY 12, 2009 For        Visiting Nurse Services Joe Kelly FEBRUARY 7, 2009 For        IA. Assn. of Nurse Practitioners For        IA. Nurse Practitioners Society David Adelman FEBRUARY 2, 2009 For        IA. Medical Society Betty Lord-Dinan FEBRUARY 1, 2009 Undecided  IA. Nurses Assn. Linda Goeldner FEBRUARY 1, 2009 Undecided  IA. Nurses Assn. Joe Kelly JANUARY 29, 2009 For        IA. County Attorneys Assn. Susan Cameron JANUARY 29, 2009 For        IA. County Attorneys Assn. John Pederson JANUARY 28, 2009 For        Prevent Child Abuse IA Kathy Leggett JANUARY 28, 2009 For        Blank Childrens Hospital Melissa Peterson JANUARY 28, 2009 For        Prevent Child Abuse IA Greg Boattenhamer JANUARY 27, 2009 Undecided  IA. Hospital Assn. J. Norris JANUARY 27, 2009 Undecided  IA. Hospital Assn. Shannon Strickler JANUARY 27, 2009 Undecided  IA. Hospital Assn. Kelly Davydov JANUARY 26, 2009 For        Prevent Child Abuse IA Lynh Patterson JANUARY 26, 2009 For        IA. Dept. of Public Health Michael Heller JANUARY 26, 2009 For        Coalition for Family and Children's Services for IA Paula Feltner JANUARY 26, 2009 For        Coalition for Family and Children's Services for IA Stephen Scott JANUARY 26, 2009 For        Prevent Child Abuse IA Amy Campbell JANUARY 23, 2009 Undecided  IA. Nebraska Primary Care Assn. (IA/NEPCA) Undecided  IA. Psychological Assn. Undecided  Polk County Carrie Fitzgerald JANUARY 23, 2009 For        Child and Family Policy Center Craig Patterson JANUARY 23, 2009 Undecided  IA. Nebraska Primary Care Assn. (IA/NEPCA) Undecided  IA. Psychological Assn. Karla Fultz JANUARY 23, 2009 For        IA. Medical Society Sheila Hansen JANUARY 23, 2009 For        Child and Family Policy Center