WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) designating the third week of April 2010 as “National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week.” Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) joined Dodd in authoring and introducing the resolution.
“Last year, nearly 95,000 children under the age of 1 were victims of abuse and neglect,” said Dodd. “One form of this abuse is Shaken Baby Syndrome, which often results in severe injury, lifelong disability, and even death. By proclaiming the third week of April to be National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week, the Senate is doing its part to raise public awareness about this preventable and devastating form of child maltreatment.”
In recognition of the need to eliminate child abuse and to raise awareness about the issue, the month of April has been designated “National Child Abuse Prevention Month,” an annual tradition that was initiated in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter.
In February, Dodd, along with Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) in the House of Representatives, introduced the Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Act, which would establish a national public health campaign to raise awareness about Shaken Baby Syndrome, encourage prevention programs, provide support to both families affected by abusive head trauma incidents as well as preventative support for parents and caregivers, and review data collection on Shaken Baby Syndrome.
Dodd is a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families.
