I found this article on the net advocating the “PURPLE Program” to help parents stop shaking babies. According to the article,
“PURPLE is an acronym intended to provide proactive insight. The letters stand for:
P – Peak of crying. A baby may cry more each week. The most is at 2 months, then less at 3 to 5 months.
U – Unexpected. Crying can come and go, and parents don’t know why.
R – Resist soothing. Babies may not stop crying, no matter what parents try.
P – Pain-like face. Crying babies may look as if they are in pain, even when they are not.
L – Long lasting. Crying can last as much as five hours a day or more.
E – Evening. Babies may cry more in the late afternoon and evening.”
What do you think about this program? Do you think it will stop parents/caretakers from shaking babies? Some of those who left comments didn’t think so.
My first thought was that parents/caregivers who do this do so out of frustration and the heat of the moment. I don’t think a program will help them. With all the media coverage of recent cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome, I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t know this can harm a child. The article even states that most cases come from inexperienced parents.
I think the reason so many are frustrated are because they had no experience with babies as children (younger siblings), have unrealistic expectations of babies from what they see on TV. And because there are usually no extended family around as was the case in years past, to help them adjust as parents. Also today’s world is a much more fast passed and frustrating one. What are your thoughts?
Please leave a comment and have a GRAPE Day!