El Infantil launches a program to prevent shaken infant syndrome

The Miguel Servet Maternal and Child Hospital in Zaragoza has launched a campaign to raise awareness and prevent “shaken infant syndrome”. Parents of newborns will receive this information and other essential care in the first months of life, before they leave the Hospital, through a QR code that will be accessible on a poster in the Maternity Rooms. The campaign will be implemented gradually.

Through this initiative, special emphasis is placed on managing crying, explaining what shaken infant syndrome consists of and how to avoid it. Shaking a baby, not necessarily with the intention of causing harm, can cause irreversible neurological consequences or even death.. The incidence is highest between two and eight months of age and the main trigger is the baby's continued inconsolable crying.

Shaking causes the baby's head to undergo rapid acceleration and deceleration movements that, due to the large size of the head in proportion to the rest of the body and weak neck muscles, facilitate the occurrence of intracranial injuries or head trauma.

This prevention program begins at the plant Servetus Maternity and has continuity in the first Pediatric consultation at the health center. This is an improvement project agreed upon with the professionals of the Neonatal Units, Pediatric ICU, Infants, Neuropediatrics, Maternity and Primary Care Pediatrics, both in the medical and nursing fields. José Luis Peña, pediatric neuropediatrician, Patricia Gracia, Project Management technician at IIS Aragón , and Miguel García, Maternity supervisor, have worked on this project.

Source: Government of Aragon.