Charity Idea OUTpost: CLICK for Babies, Period of Purple Crying.

  Two years ago, the local county court, there was a shocking incident of  infant abuse played out.   A  man shook his two month old baby girl and struck her head against a hard surface.    Up  until that time   I had never really taken the time to think about "Shaken Baby Syndrome".   I knew it happened,   I  knew parents got frustrated because I am a parent,  I knew what happened to the brain  when it was subjected to concussion.   However,  I had no idea  of the devastating effect of  shaken baby syndrome.   When I discovered  the Period of Purple Crying and "CLICK for Babies" .    Shaken  Baby Syndrome  is  preventable  and we as knitters,  and crocheters are a  part of that prevention effort. 

The National Center on Shaken    Baby Syndrome  states that   Shaken Baby Syndrome is  "The leading cause of abuse deaths in the U.S. "        The  National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS)  also  writes  
"Why is Shaking a Baby Dangerous?Violent shaking for just a few seconds has the potential to cause severe injuries. While shaking may cause injury to children of any age, children are most susceptible to being injured during their first year of life. Factors that contribute to a baby’s vulnerability include:

• Babies heads are heavy and large in proportion to their body size.
• Babies have weak neck muscles.
• Babies have fragile, undeveloped brains.
• There is a large size and strength difference between the victim and the perpetrator."     

What happens to a baby as a result of  Abusive Head Trauma (AHT )  or  Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)  
"Consequences of SBS/AHT

• Learning disabilities
• Physical disabilities
• Visual disabilities or blindness
• Hearing impairment
• Speech disabilities
• Cerebral Palsy
• Seizures
• Behavior disorders
• Cognitive impairment
• Death"       

Naturally this information is not intended to replace the correct diagnosis by a doctor.  If you think your child has been the victim of AHT or SBS  seek medical attention immediately.       

The Period  of Purple Crying is a  fantastic program  developed  to  not just reduce but hopefully  STOP the incidence of  SBS /AHT .    There are training programs available for community groups, caregivers,  churches,  and daycare providers  training.dontshake.org/courses  .     Information is the key to stopping this fully preventable  cause of infant death or injury.     In pure economic terms  the  NCSBS  statistics indicate that in 2010 there were  16.8 billion reason to put a STOP to  SBS/AHT.   That's the cost in round numbers of  Shaken Baby.   However, all of us know you cannot put a price on the life of a child nor can we ignore the signs.     Parents  who are dealing with  a baby who is difficult, gets their days and nights confused, cries  a lot,   refuses to nap,  doesn't eat well, gets colicky,  struggle  with exhaustion and to  keep from losing their grip out of anger.   All parents at one point or another feel  amazingly frustrated with their child.    However, we as a  community,  as friends, as loved ones, as grandparents  have the responsibility to  try to reach out to help  a parent who is overwhelmed.   It could prevent ruined lives.    Here are some stories that might help us  realize the complexity of this issue and exactly  WHY those of us who  knit and crochet need to assist.    Below is a graphic that illustrates why the NCSBS  uses  the Period of Purple Crying acronym. 

   As  knitters and crocheters  we have the awesome opportunity to help support this campaign  with  contributions of purple baby hats.   There is an organization   "Click for babies"  designed to support  parents of newborns.    Their  tagline is  "Knit 1,   Tell 2,  Give  3" .    Knit /crochet  a hat,   raise awareness by telling others,   give  $3.    Now  in my case neither  New York  State or  Vermont have an official  Period of Purple Crying  campaign  (not unusual for NY!)   I've asked friends just to make up some caps following the guidelines .     Then take the caps to the local hospital or birthing  center .      This will help further  the goal of  Click  for  Babies  "The goal of the CLICK for Babies campaign is to increase awareness and educate others about the Period of  PURPLE  Crying  that all infants go through, how to respond to prolonged crying, and the importance of never shaking your child - all in an effort to prevent the shaking and abuse of infants."     clickforbabies.org/about-click-for-babies-campaign.php      In my experience,  if we wait for someone to start  a chapter nothing gets done, but if  we simply start the information  campaign  people will join in.    

Guidelines are vital but so are patterns!   Here  are the links to the hat patterns provided by  CLICK for Babies.      

•    Knit patterns for baby girls:   clickforbabies.org/stitchers-club/knit-girls.php
• Crochet patterns for  baby girls:  clickforbabies.org/stitchers-club/crochet-girls.php
• Knit patterns for baby boys:   clickforbabies.org/stitchers-club/knit-boys.php
• Crochet patterns for baby boys:   clickforbabies.org/stitchers-club/crochet-boys.php

Please,   follow the guidelines,  they are there for a reason! 

The Period of Purple Crying  is on a vital mission to keep babies from  permanent  brain injury or even death.    Having been a military wife with 2 small children  16 months apart in age  I can tell you that it's  a very lonely thing to listen to your child cry for hours,  and never  have a break because my husband is deployed.   If someone had offered to watch my children while I took a shower, or actually SAT down to eat a meal,  I would have been thrilled.     Be mindful of this  project as you knit or crochet.    Consider  what your contribution might mean for the future.