What to know about abusive head trauma

Shaking an infant or young child – even once – can be fatal. Each year, several children in the Tampa Bay area die from being shaken violently, or suffer another type of abusive head trauma, at the hands of a parent or caregiver.

While most parents think this tragedy would never happen to their families, parents are most often responsible for causing injury or death from shaking a baby. Babysitters, grandparents and other caregivers can also be responsible, especially if they are not properly prepared to handle stressful situations, such as when a baby is crying and cannot be soothed by feeding or a diaper change.

Read more about abusive head trauma prevention in Florida Sentinel-Bulletin.