Friday, November 20, 2015
London Health Sciences Centre
LHSC receives astounding 14,000 purple caps in support of The Period of PURPLE Crying
November is Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) awareness month. For the fifth year in a row London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is taking part in the CLICK for Babies campaign in support of The Period of PURPLE Crying program. This year, our call to knitters returned an unprecedented 14,000 purple newborn caps which have poured in from across North America and overseas from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland.
Thank you to everyone who shared their personal stories and sent photos in, and most of all thank you for raising awareness about the Period of PURPLE Crying and Shaken Baby Syndrome, says Brandon Batey, Injury Prevention Specialist. The hats are given to newborns at LHSC during November and December to remind parents and caregivers about the Period of PURPLE Crying. When parents see the caps they are reminded about the education they received in hospital about infant crying patterns.
Frustration with infant crying is cited as the leading trigger for infant abuse. LHSC sees approximately one to five cases of SBS a year, however, supporting evidence suggests that it is possible that some cases are under-reported or difficult to confirm. SBS is a tragic event associated with high rates of mortality and severe morbidity in the most vulnerable among the pediatric population. Those of us that care for these patients are acutely aware of our limitations and even our failures in this endeavor but remain steadfast in our goal of saving lives and preserving families. Thankfully our campaign to raise awareness is having a real effect on the number of these tragic events, says Dr. Neil Merritt, Director of Paediatric Trauma at Children’s Hospital, LHSC.
CLICK for Babies is a grassroots public education program organized by the National Centre on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS), along with hospitals, public health and child abuse prevention groups. The goal is to educate the public about infant crying patterns, and share coping strategies for new parents and caregivers. Supported by Children’s Health Foundation, Batey adds, our education efforts are helping parents understand crying patterns of infants and different techniques to soothe a crying baby.
For the second year in a row, LHSC is holding a social media photo contest in support of the program. Parents of babies who receive a purple cap from LHSC during November and December are eligible to win a newborn photo session with Laura Rowe Photography.
The word PURPLE is used as an acronym which reminds parents all of the characteristics of normal infant crying:
- Peak of crying The baby may cry more each week, peaking at two months, and then less at three to five months.
- Unexpected The crying can come and go, with no explanation.
- Resists soothing The baby might not stop crying no matter what you try.
- Pain-like face It may look like the baby is in pain, even when they are not.
- Long lasting The baby might cry 5 hours per day or more.
- Evening The baby might cry more in the late afternoon or evening.
Media interviews:
Dr. Neil Merritt and Brandon Batey will be available for interviews on Friday, November 20, from 1:30 3:30 p.m.
Media Contact:
Emilly Dubeau
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
London Health Sciences Centre
519-685-8500 ext 55721
emilly.dubeau@lhsc.on.ca
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