[Mo-facs] [SBS] RE: Gov. Blunt Proclaims March Brain Injury Awareness Month

Thu Mar 27 02:23:56 CDT 2008

Dear FACS educators:

I don’t think this was posted to the listserv, but I want to share with you
how I’ve marketed your hard work for SBS prevention and awareness to the
thousands of Missouri students and other professionals. This e-mail was sent
to many state legislators, the Governor himself, decision makers for
programs affecting victims of abusive neurological trauma, health care
providers, and others who have an interest in Shaken Baby Syndrome across
the state. Hopefully these individuals will connect with you from within
their community to see all that you’re doing and recognize you for this
incredible mission -- I can only hope with more $$$ to expand and continue
your efforts.

I value your dedication tremendously knowing that awareness WILL help reduce
the number of children affected by abusive head trauma not only in our state
but for our nation. Money always seems to be tied to decisions and if others
would realize the lifetime financial cost of caring for a child with abusive
head trauma then maybe more money would be secured for prevention efforts.

You’re my heroes! Keep up the good work and peer to peer support on this
subject!

~Carla

---

Dear friends,

Last Wednesday marked the 8th anniversary of discovering through diagnosis
that my son, Bennett, had been shaken. He was only 9 months old and has
fortunately survived. But the sad part is is that on that day of March 19,
2000, I had no idea what Shaken Baby Syndrome was and to this day, do not
know who shook him. So, it would only be natural for me to wish that  we
could have had a bleep in the following proclamation from our Governor about
the number of and impact on Missouri children (as well as their families,
providers and other professionals) who survive and die each year as a result
of Shaken Baby Syndrome aka abusive head trauma. 

Please know that prevention and awareness efforts are underway to reduce
abusive head trauma to Missouri's children. I would like to showcase just a
few individuals and organizations sharing my sincerest appreciation for
their efforts. I know these individuals are not doing this for the glory of
recognition but rather sadly, the immediate need.

            1) Miller County Health Center for their efforts in targeting
education and awareness to their residents as a result of the recent
increased incidents in their area.

            2) Missouri's Children's Trust Fund who for several years has
maintained excellent FREE curriculum and awareness campaigns for educators
and other professionals. I often refer Family and Consumer Sciences
educators and national professionals to this information. 

            3) Rep. Jeff Harris (Columbia) who is sponsoring HB1855 which
sets minimum sentencing guidelines for perpetrators who shake a child birth
- five.

            4) The Missouri FACS educators who devote a significant amount
of class time educating students to the requirements of caring for infants
and children most often using the Baby Think it Over Dolls and have
creatively held "perpetrators" accountable for their actions using peer mock
trials. I would love to see every middle and high school district receive
funding for the latest dolls which show the actual impact on the brain of
shaking an infant.

            5) Meredith Martin, from Springfield's Cox Health Care system,
NICU nurse and educator passionate about educating pre-hospital, emergency
services providers, and other law enforcement professionals on visual and
physical evidence for prosecuting perpetrators and to parents, caregivers
and others on the effects of SBS. 

            6) Missouri State University educators Peggy Pearl and Cory
Fearing for instilling in their students an awareness of SBS and how to
prevent it.

The above comes as a result of reading the following press release and
asking myself this question. Why is it that adult head injuries seem to
trump awareness efforts for TBI's? 

Even though this article says "people", which would certainly reflect all
ages, most immediately identify TBI's with adults and don't give a second
thought that children and youth receive TBI's as well. Therefore, this would
have been an excellent opportunity to further highlight the "silent
epidemic" with the fact that pediatric traumatic brain injuries happen
whether inflicted or accidental (i.e. through motor vehicle or sports
related injuries).

Wait! It may not too late! We can do this in April for Child Abuse & Neglect
awareness month by setting a concurrent resolution in Missouri for the 3rd
week as SBS prevention and awareness. Sadly it WILL be too late. Even with
waiting this short amount of time, 2, 3 or more Missouri children will be
shaken or thrown by their caregiver resulting in a TBI or worse yet death,
all of which could have been prevented 100% through education of coping
techniques for the caregiver and the effects for such a horrendous act.

Until the day I can rest comfortably knowing that no child was shaken or
abused...

~Carla

---

On the web at:

HYPERLINK
"http://www.gov.mo.gov/cgi-bin/coranto/viewnews.cgi?id=EkpVZZpyuALnwgINhh&st
yle=Default+News+Style&tmpl=newsitem"http://www.gov.mo.gov/cgi-bin/coranto/v
iewnews.cgi?id=EkpVZZpyuALnwgINhh&style=Default+News+Style&tmpl=newsitem

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 17, 2008

Nanci Gonder, 573-751-0290

-------------------------------------------------

Gov. Blunt Proclaims March Brain Injury Awareness Month

           JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt issued a proclamation declaring
March as Brain Injury Awareness Month to recognize the impact of traumatic
brain injury across the nation and in Missouri.

           "A traumatic brain injury can instantly and dramatically change a
persons life," Gov. Blunt said. "Public awareness is vital to prevention as
well as understanding the often life-long impact for those who have
experienced this kind of injury."

           Although a brain injury occurs every 23 seconds in the United
States, the condition is often called the silent epidemic because many
people are unaware of the impact it has on those who are injured and their
families. Every year, more than 14,000 people in Missouri are taken to an
emergency room or hospital with a traumatic brain injury. The actual number
of people sustaining this type of injury is unknown because many do not seek
treatment. Approximately 1,300 Missourians die each year as a result of a
brain injury.

           Traumatic brain injury is caused by a blow, jolt or other type of
injury to the head that disrupts the function of the brain. Injuries to the
brain most often occur as a result of motor vehicle crashes, falls, sports
injuries, violence and exposure to blasts.

           The effects of an injury to the brain can range from mild to
severe and impact a persons thinking, reasoning, memory, speech, physical
activity, seeing, hearing, learning and other abilities. These conditions
can be temporary or permanent. Advanced medical treatment and new technology
have enabled more people to survive a traumatic brain injury.

           "No two brain injuries are alike because an injury can affect
different areas of the brain in different ways," said Lori Brenneke, manager
of the Adult Head Injury Program at the Missouri Department of Health and
Senior Services. "As a result, a range of services that can meet an
individuals changing needs over a period of time is necessary."

           For more information about traumatic brain injury in Missouri,
visit the Missouri Head Injury Advisory Council Web site at HYPERLINK
"http://www.dhss.mo.gov/HIA-Council"www.dhss.mo.gov/HIA-Council. For
information about brain injury support groups throughout the state, contact
the Brain Injury Association of Missouri at: HYPERLINK
"http://www.biamo.org"www.biamo.org or 800-377-6442.

###

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