I think we should get the message across to as many people as possible. Please tell your friends to read this and pass it on. Anyone who has anything to do with babies should be shocked by this; shocked enough to never ever shake a baby, however frustrated you may be. Life is too precious and too easily snuffed out.
May London Marie Sherwood rest in peace.
December 4th, 2007, Jessica Sherwood had to do something no mother should ever have to do.
At 2:29 pm Jessica made a very tough, but the right decision to take her little 3 month old daughter off life support
In memory of little London Marie, i thought id start a little forward..Jessica had a message that i want every one to know.. This is what Jessica said:
'If anyone has kids, make sure that you keep them with you the whole time. Don't give then to anyone that you don't trust. Trust me, I thought that I trusted Josh. But now as of December 4, 2007 at 2:29 AM, she is gone. My one & only baby . & He is going to pay FOREVER, even if he gets out of jail scott free, he will be dead no matter what. & To all my friends that know London , I am very angry & upset that I lost the love of my life, my baby girl. She died on her three month birthday .London had six fractured ribs, both of her legs were fracture, & her brain was so damaged that if she were to live she would be a vegetable. So I did what was right & what was best for her & took her off life support. That's what you call Shaken Baby Sydrome [SBS]'
For those of you who don't know what Shaken Baby Syndrome check out the facts;
-Shaking, jerking and jolting can cause blood vessels in the head to tear or burst. Shaken Baby Syndrome is the shaking of an infant or child by the arms, legs, or shoulders with or without impact of the head. This trauma can result in bleeding and brain injury with no outward signs of abuse. Often frustrated caregivers feel that shaking a baby or small child is a harmless way to make the child stop crying. However, a baby's brain and blood vessels are vulnerable to whiplash motions, such as shaking, jerking, jolting, and impact.The neck muscles of an infant or small child are weak, so the child's head is relatively heavy and the neck cannot support the stress of shaking or impact
-Shaking a very young child, with or without impact of the head, can cause irreversible brain damage, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, spinal cord injury, seizures, learning disabilities, and even death. It is tragic that healthy, intelligent babies are suffering these disabilities simply because their caregivers don't know about the dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome
An estimated 1,200 to 1,400 cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) occur each year in the United States. Only 1 out of 4 babies dies of Shaken Baby Syndrome. HOWEVER, the other three babies will need ongoing medical attention for the rest of their short lifespans.
London in hospital
London after she passed
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Physical Signs/Symptoms:
There are various signs and symptoms of shaken baby syndrome. The consequences of less severe cases may not be brought to the attention of medical professionals and may never be diagnosed. In most severe cases, which usually result in death or severe neurological consequences, the child usually becomes immediately unconscious and suffers rapidly escalating, life-threatening central nervous system dysfunction.
Any of these injuries can lead to severe disability or death. If you suspect a child has been shaken, seek medical attention immediately. This could be the difference between life and death.
Common Symptoms of Shaken Baby Syndrome:
- Lethargy / decreased muscle tone
- Extreme irritability
- Extreme irritability
- Decreased appetite, poor feeding or vomiting for no apparent reason
- Grab-type bruises on arms or chest are rare
- No smiling or vocalization
- Poor sucking or swallowing
- Rigidity or posturing
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
- Head or forehead appears larger than usual or soft-spot on head appears to be bulging
- Inability to lift head
- Inability of eyes to focus or track movement or unequal size of pupils
Information on this page is not intended to replace advice by a health care professional. If you are concerned about your child's health please consult a physician.
Physical Consequences of Shaking
What Happens:
The brain rotates within the skull cavity, injuring or destroying brain tissue.
When shaking occurs, blood vessels feeding the brain can be torn, leading to bleeding around the brain.
Blood pools within the skull, sometimes creating more pressure within the skull and possibly causing additional brain damage.
Retinal (back of the eye) bleeding is very common
Immediate Consequences:
- Breathing may stop or be compromised
- Extreme irritability
- Seizures
- Limp arms and legs or rigidity/posturing
- Decreased level of consciousness
- Vomiting; poor feeding
- Inability to suck or swallow
- Heart may stop
- Death
Long-Term Consequences:
- Learning disabilities
- Physical disabilities
- Visual disabilities or blindness
- Hearing impairment
- Speech disabilities
- Cerebral Palsy
- Seizures
- Behavior disorders
- Cognitive impairment
- Death
Why:
Babies' heads are relatively large and heavy, making up about 25% of their total body weight. Their neck muscles are too weak to support such a disproportionately large head.
Babies' brains are immature and more easily injured by shaking.
Babies' blood vessels around the brain are more susceptible to tearing than older children or adults.
When:
Often, perpetrators shake an infant or child out of frustration or anger. This most often occurs when the baby won't stop crying. Other triggering events include toilet training difficulties and feeding problems.
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