SR0611 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0611 LRB095 20552 KXB 48543 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The month of April has been designated "National Child Abuse Prevention Month" as an annual tradition that was initiated in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter; and

WHEREAS, The most recent National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) figures show that almost 900,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect in the United States in 2004, causing unspeakable pain and suffering to our most vulnerable citizens; among the children who are victims of abuse and neglect, nearly four children die each day in this country; and

WHEREAS, Children age one and younger accounted for 45 percent of child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2004, and children age three and younger accounted for 81 percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Abusive head trauma, including the trauma known as Shaken Baby Syndrome, is recognized as the leading cause of death of physically abused children; Shaken Baby Syndrome is a totally preventable form of child abuse, caused by a caregiver losing control and shaking a baby that is usually less than one year in age; it can result in loss of vision, brain damage, paralysis, seizures, or death; and

WHEREAS, A 2003 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that, in the United States, an average of 300 children will die each year, and 600 to 1,200 more will be injured, of whom two-thirds will be babies or infants under one year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome, with many cases resulting in severe and permanent disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Medical professionals believe that thousands of additional cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are being misdiagnosed or not detected; and

WHEREAS, Shaken Baby Syndrome often results in permanent, irreparable brain damage or death to an infant and may result in more than $1,000,000 in medical costs to care for a single, disabled child in just the first few years of life; and

WHEREAS, The most effective solution for ending Shaken Baby Syndrome is to prevent such abuse, and it is clear that the minimal costs of education and prevention programs may prevent enormous medical and disability costs and untold grief for many families; and

WHEREAS, Prevention programs have demonstrated that educating new parents about the danger of shaking young children and how they can help protect their child from injury can bring about a significant reduction in the number of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome; and

WHEREAS, Education programs have been shown to raise awareness and provide critically important information about Shaken Baby Syndrome to parents, caregivers, daycare workers, child protection employees, law enforcement personnel, health care professionals, and legal representatives; and

WHEREAS, Efforts to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome are supported by advocacy groups across the United States that were formed by parents and relatives of children who have been killed or injured by shaking, such as the National Shaken Baby Coalition, the Shaken Baby Association, the SKIPPER (Shaking Kills: Instead Parents Please Educate and Remember) Initiative, the Shaken Baby Alliance, Shaken Baby Prevention, Inc., A Voice for Gabbi, Don't Shake Jake, the Kierra Harrison Foundation, the Cynthia Gibbs Foundation, Reagan's Rescue, and the Hannah Rose Foundation, whose mission is to educate the general public and professionals about Shaken Baby Syndrome and to increase support for victims and victim's families in the health care and criminal justice systems; and

WHEREAS, Child abuse prevention programs and "National Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week" are supported by the National Shaken Baby Coalition, the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, the Children's Defense Fund, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Child Welfare League of America, Prevent Child Abuse America, the National Child Abuse Coalition, the National Exchange Club Foundation, the American Humane Association, the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, the Arc of the United States, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty, Family Partnership, Family Voices, National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds, United Cerebral Palsy, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and related institutions, Never Shake a Baby Arizona/Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, the Center for Child Protection and Family Support, and many other organizations; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in honor of survivors of Shaken Baby Syndrome like Taylor Nicole (Pinkas) Rogers of Edwardsville and Kristina Simmons of Decatur, non-survivors like Reagan Williams of Danville, and in honor of all the other precious children that did or did not survive, we hereby designate April 21-27, 2008, as "Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend those hospitals, child care councils, schools, and other organizations that are working to increase awareness of the danger of shaking young children and educate parents and caregivers as to how they can help protect children from such injuries; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage the people of Illinois to remember the victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome and to participate in educational programs to help prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the National Shaken Baby Coalition.