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Shaken Baby Prevention Program at RMC

The Period of Purple Crying Program for Parents of Newborns

“Crying is the number one reason that parents shake their baby,” says LeAnn Fenton, RN, BSN, Inpatient Nursing Assistant Manager of Obstetrics at RMC. “Shaking a baby is very dangerous, because it can cause blindness, seizures, learning and physical disabilities, and even death. At Regional Medical Center we believe that Shaken Baby Syndrome is preventable when parents and caregivers are made aware of the dangers of shaking a baby and trained to be prepared with the appropriate response to their crying baby.”

RMC provides the Period of PURPLE Crying Program which educates parents of newborns that feelings of helplessness and frustration are okay, but it is the parents’ behavior and way of coping with the crying baby that is most important. It is NEVER okay to shake a baby!

unded by RMC and BDF Empowerment, The Period of PURPLE Crying education program is designed to reduce Shaken Baby Syndrome. Parents of newborns are presented with a full color 11 – page booklet and 10 minute DVD to take home. The set reassures parents that it is normal for their baby to cry, tells them it is normal to become frustrated with the crying, provides them with tips to cope, and that it is NEVER OK to shake a baby. Parents can share their booklet and DVD with friends, family members and anyone that may be caring for their infant.

Dr. Ronald Barr, a developmental pediatrician, created the phrase the Period of PURPLE Crying, and developed the program based on over 25 years of research. The word PURPLE in this program does not stand for the baby turning blue or purple from the crying, instead it comes from the acronym PURPLE, which reminds parents of some of the key information associated with inconsolable crying bouts. The word Period is important because it tells parents that it is only temporary and will come to an end.

Peak of crying: Your baby may cry more each week, usually the most at about two months old, then less and less from three to five months.
Unexpected: Crying can come and go and you don’t know why.
Resists soothing: Your baby may not stop crying no matter what you do to comfort them.
Pain-like expression on baby’s face: A crying baby may look like they are in pain, even when they are not.
Long lasting: Crying can last as long as five hours a day or more.
Evening: Your baby may cry more in the late afternoon and evening.

The behavioral piece of the program provides caregivers with action steps on how to respond to the crying in order to prevent shaking from happening. Shaking a baby is never the proper response when a parent or caregiver is confronted with a baby who seems to be crying for no reason.

To further educate parents about the devastating effects that shaking can have on the baby’s brain, RMC has obtained two Shaken Baby Syndrome Simulators with funding assistance from BDF Empowerment. The simulators are used for demonstration by Parents as Teachers staff to expectant parents in Prepared Childbirth Classes, to newborn’s parents by OB Department nurses before discharge from Regional Medical Center, and by Parents as Teacher educators on home visits.

“Education is very important in the prevention of Shaken Baby Syndrome. We are thankful to have these materials to share with new parents for the benefit of families, and in turn our community as a whole,” said Fenton. “As OB nurses we know the importance of educating parents and stressing the period of PURPLE crying. We know, and we want parents to know that shaking a baby is never the proper response when confronted with a crying baby.”

For more information or to view the video go to www.purplecrying.info.

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