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Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention:
Suggested Parent Education Protocol for Parents With Children
Ages 1-3 years old*
Help parents set realistic
expectations of their child's development
Difficult Development Phases in Young
Children
That May Trigger Abuse
- Night Crying
Eliminate long, daytime naps.
Allow for plenty of physical activity during the day, outside
if possible
- Separation Anxiety
Rehearse separations by playing
peek-a-boo and hide and seek, etc. Allow for brief periods of
care taking by another adult
- Normal Exploratory Behavior
Structure an environment
that encourages positive behavior and permits exploration
- Normal Negativism
Give some independence (minimize
the rules and give the child more real choices)
- Normal Poor Appetite
Reduce milk intake to a pint
or less per day (many toddlers fill up on milk and leave little
room for other nutritious foods)
- Toilet Training Resistance
Make sure the child is ready
before you try to toilet train (around age 2). Don't punish for
any aspects of toilet training, it's your child's body, trust
them to learn its natural functions
Be supportive, sympathetic and kind
Disciplining Young Children
- Communicate to the child what needs
to be done at that moment
- Redirect the child's attention from
undesirable activities by using neutral or positive language
- Say no while maintaining love and avoid
arguing with the child
- Give the reason for the rule at the
basic level
- Give limited tasks and be specific
in your request
- Acknowledge children's feelings, but
set limits and hold to them
- Help children see how their actions
affect others
- Help children see how they can use
their words to communicate their feelings
- Acknowledge and reward positive behavior
Caregivers of Young Children**
- Choose caregivers carefully. Talk with
them about their attitudes and behavior in relation to discipline.
Do not permit corporal punishment
* This protocol was adapted from
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, "A Guide for
Child Care Providers," 2002
** Bright Futures, Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants,
Children and Adolescents, Second Edition, 2000 |
