LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION memorializing Governor David A. Paterson to
proclaim April 18-24, 2010 as Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week in the
State of New York

WHEREAS, Statistics compiled by the federal government show that 794,000
children were victims of abuse and neglect in the United States in 2007;
and
WHEREAS, Acts of abuse and neglect by those entrusted with the care of
children causes unspeakable pain and suffering to our most vulnerable
citizens; and
WHEREAS, On an average day in the United States, four children who are
victims of abuse and neglect die; and
WHEREAS, Children younger than one year of age accounted for over 40
percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2007, and children
younger than four years old accounted for nearly 76 percent of all child
abuse and neglect fatalities in 2007; and
WHEREAS, The most recent statistics available from the New York State
Department of Health also demonstrate that homicide was a leading cause
of death due to injury for children under the age of one; and
WHEREAS, The leading cause of death of abused children is inflicted
head trauma, including the trauma known as Shaken Baby Syndrome; and
WHEREAS, On average, 1200 to 1400 children in the United States are
diagnosed with Shaken Baby Syndrome every year, and medical experts
believe thousands of additional cases are likely misdiagnosed or unde-
tected; and
WHEREAS, Shaken Baby Syndrome and other inflicted head trauma occurs
when a caregiver loses control and shakes a baby or young child, most
frequently less than one year of age but in some cases as old as five
years of age, resulting in loss of vision, brain damage, paralysis,
seizures, or death; and
WHEREAS, Shaken Baby Syndrome often causes permanent, irreparable
brain damage or death to an infant, and may result in more than a
million dollars in medical and rehabilitation costs for the care of a
single disabled child during the first few years of life; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that the taxpayers of the State of New York
may, through the State Medicaid program, pay as much as 41% of the
medical and rehabilitation costs that result from shaking injuries; and
WHEREAS, The national cost of child abuse is estimated by Prevention
Child Abuse America as more than $92 billion a year, and the cost of
child abuse in New York State is estimated to exceed $3 billion a year;
and
WHEREAS, It appears that substantial medical evidence indicates that
even mild trauma to the brain caused by Shaken Baby Syndrome is likely
to cause learning disabilities in children and substantially increase
the risk of substance abuse; and
WHEREAS, The most effective way to end Shaken Baby Syndrome is by
educating parents and caregivers about the danger of shaking children
and providing the skills needed to cope with frustration and anger, and
it is clear that the minimal costs of educational and preventive
programs may avert enormous medical and disability costs and untold
grief for many families; and
WHEREAS, Awareness and prevention programs, such as the nationally
recognized Upstate New York SBS Prevention Project developed by Dr. Mark
Dias, with the support of the New York State Children and Families Trust
Fund, have been shown to raise awareness and provide critically impor-
tant information about Shaken Baby Syndrome to parents, caregivers,

daycare workers, child protection employees, law enforcement personnel,
health care professionals, and legal representatives; and
WHEREAS, These prevention efforts are supported by national groups
such as the Shaken Baby Coalition and the National Center for Shaken
Baby Syndrome, and New York State groups, such as the Hudson Valley SBS
Prevention Initiative, the Upstate New York SBS Prevention Project, The
SKIPPER Initiative, and the Cynthia Gibbs Foundation, whose mission is
to educate new parents and caregivers, increase awareness among the
general public and professionals, and encourage increased support for
victims and their families in the health care and criminal justice
systems; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Legislature enacted legislation in 2001
requiring hospitals to include information about Shaken Baby Syndrome in
the maternity information pamphlet provided to all persons registering
for maternity services; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Legislature enacted legislation in 2003
requiring all new child care providers to receive education about the
causes, consequences and prevention of SBS before they are licensed to
care for children; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Legislature enacted legislation in 2004
requiring that all hospitals and birthing centers offer new parents the
opportunity to watch a video about the causes and consequences of SBS
and ways that it can be prevented so that they can help protect their
child from shaking injuries; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Legislature enacted legislation in 2006
requiring that the Health Department coordinate a statewide prevention
campaign that educates the public about the causes and consequences of
SBS and how it can be prevented and requiring that the Education Depart-
ment provide a curriculum on Shaken Baby Syndrome to schools so that
students, who not only may be parents some day, but who may now be baby-
sitting for young children, are educated about the danger of shaking
children; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body Legislature wishes to commend those
advocates, organizations and agencies of State, county and local govern-
ments which work continuously and tirelessly to educate parents and
caregivers about the causes, consequences and prevention of Shaken Baby
Syndrome and other inflicted injuries; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor David A. Paterson to proclaim April 18-24, 2010, as
Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week in the State of New York; and he it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to The Honorable David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of
New York.