On April 7, 2006 the U.S. Senate passed a resolution (S RES 439) submitted by Senator Chris Dobb (D-CT) designating the 3rd week of April Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week. A briefing on Capitol Hill focusing on Shaken Baby Syndrome was held April 25th

Illinois Senate Passes Shaken Baby 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 citizens; among the children who are victims of abuse and neglect, nearly four children die each day in this county; and

WHEREAS, Children age one and younger accounted for 41.2 percent of child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002, and children age four and younger accounted for 76.1 percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002; 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 ago; 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-third will be babies or infants under one year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome, with many cases resulting in server 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 I 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, 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, 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 NENETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that in honor of survivors of Shaken Baby Syndrome like Taylor Nicole (Pinkas) Rogers of Edwardsville, and in honor of those precious children that did not survive, we hereby designated April 17-23, 2006, as "Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend those hospital's 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 prevention Shaken Baby Syndrome; and be it further

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

WHERAS, 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 WHERAS, 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.