Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
Abusive head trauma and crying infant-Public awareness of newborn and infant trauma
Christoph Arneitz1,2, Jana Schmitz3, Istvan Szilagyi3
1Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery, Clinical Center Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria.
Insights
Abusive head trauma (AHT) knowledge is common, but effective coping strategies for infant crying are lacking. Prevention programs should target male caregivers post-birth to address this gap.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Child Abuse Prevention
Background:
- Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of infant fatalities due to physical abuse.
- Infant crying is a significant trigger for AHT, necessitating effective caregiver coping strategies.
- General population awareness of AHT and its consequences requires evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess general population knowledge of AHT, infant crying triggers, and appropriate behavioral responses.
- To identify gaps in understanding and management of excessive infant crying.
- To inform targeted prevention programs for abusive head trauma.
Main Methods:
- An online questionnaire (LimeSurvey) with 41 questions was developed.
- The survey assessed risk factors for infant shaking, including a video demonstration.
- 319 participants, including 245 parents, completed the online survey.
Main Results:
- Nearly all participants (98.4%) knew about severe injuries, including fatalities, from shaking.
- Most (97.5%) had heard of 'shaking trauma' but lacked professional guidance on infant care.
- A significant majority (95%) believed helpful coping strategies for infant crying were inappropriate.
Conclusions:
- While awareness of AHT consequences is high, knowledge gaps exist regarding managing excessive infant crying.
- Prevention initiatives should prioritize educating male caregivers during the postnatal period.
- Further research is needed to develop and implement effective infant crying management strategies.
Aim:
Crying seems to be a common trigger for abusive head trauma (AHT), which is the leading cause of fatalities from physical abuse in infants. Our objective was to evaluate knowledge of AHT, crying infants and correct behavioural measures in a general population.
Methods:
An online questionnaire (LimeSurvey) was created to assess the risk of shaking. The online survey contained a total of 41 questions, including a demonstration of a previously recorded video in which an infant doll is shaken.
Results:
A total of 319 people, 245 of them (76.8%) with own children, participated in the study. Almost all respondents (98.4%) were aware of serious injuries due to shaking, even to the point of death (98.1%). Most participants (97.5%) had heard the term 'shaking trauma' prior but did not receive any professional information, neither before nor after birth (85.2% or 86%), or during follow-up examinations (88.5%). The majority of the participants (95%) considered that useful coping strategies in infant crying were inappropriate.
Conclusion:
The consequences of shaking an infant were common knowledge in a normal population, whereas there was a knowledge gap regarding the management of excessive crying infants. Prevention programmes should mainly focus on male caregivers during postnatal care.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
01:27Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events,...