My son's father also shook my son at three months of age, causing severe brain injury and eye trauma. There was evidence that it was possibly even premeditated.
My son lived for two more years, but couldn't sit up, see much of anything, or hold his own bottle. He also had many seizures daily, which eventually took its toll on his little body and he died during a seizure. This happened over a decade ago but I still cry on a regular basis--in grocery stores, at work, right now. I'm a freaking mess, to be honest. I can't even actually read this thread, I just saw the title and kinda freaked.
After my son was shaken, I worked with the local health department, police agency, and child development center to have pamphlets sent home with every new mother, and we distributed hundreds of videos to libraries and hospitals in the area.
This really is something that needs to be talked about more, though. New moms and dads need to be told that it is okay to put a crying baby in its crib and WALK AWAY for a while. It is okay to ask for help.
Give them a pacifier, give them a bottle, change their diaper, try all you usually do, then put them somewhere safe and go into another room. But NEVER NEVER NEVER SHAKE A BABY. Please reiterate this information to everyone you know. It seems like it would be obvious, but it obviously isn't.
For more information, see:
http://www.dontshake.org/
http://www.nevershakeababy.org/
I wanted to avoid posting here, because it's hard, but I needed to, so there ya go.
Now I'm going to calm down and watch the Casey Anthony hearing I've been anticipating all day.
eace:
