Shaking Your Baby is Dangerous

• It is an injury that occurs when a baby is shaken. Children under 5 years aremost suspectible to injury
• shaking can do serious harm

• bleeding in the brain
• fits
• blindness
• deafness
• dyslexia or other learning disabilities
• permanent brain damage
• death

• caregiver can be frustrated when they cannot manage the baby.
• caregiver may be under pressure and cannot deal with the crying baby.
• caregiver may not understand that a baby cancry for a variety of reasons e.g. a baby who suffers from colic may cry a great deal of the time.

• you have had a bad day
• you are tired
• it's late
• the baby cries
• the baby does not want to eat
• nothing works

• check and make sure the baby is not hurt and all of the baby's needs are met e.g. hunger, thirst and whether nappy is soiled.
• offer the baby a pacifier
• hold the baby to your chest and gently rock the baby
• sing to the baby or play soft music
• take the baby for a walk or a car ride
• place the baby in a pram and rock the pram gently
• put the baby in the crib or playpen and go to another room for a while, take deep breathes to calm yourself before going back to handle the baby
• call a friend, relative or neighbour to help takecare of the baby while you take break

• take the baby to a doctor
• seek assistance from a child specialist e.g. child psychologist