August 12, 2009

Asante Foundation Receives $30,000 Grant for Purple Crying

Program to help educate parents on babies' natural instinct to cry and how to respond.

Research has shown that inconsolable crying is normal behavior for all infants, especially in the first three months of life. Known as the period of PURPLE crying, it can overstress parents, who may not understand why the baby is inconsolable, and that can lead to domestic disturbances and Shaken Baby Syndrome.

That is why the Asante Foundation has earned a grant for $30,000 from the Children's Trust Fund to launch The Period of PURPLE Crying program, designed to help educate parents so they know why their baby can't stop crying.

The grant was written by Sandy Olson and Debbie Daggett, both with the Asante Foundation, Kerri Hecox, MD, the Child Advocacy Center, and Michele Strickland, RN, manager of neonatal intensive care at Rogue Valley Medical Center.

"The number one trigger for infant child abuse is crying," says Hecox. Head trauma, usually the result of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), is the leading cause of death in child abuse cases in the United States.  Nearly 1400 children are killed or injured by shaking every year. "We need to change the culture. And that starts with education."

To achieve that goal, several hospitals and agencies will provide education to new parents and the public about The Period of PURPLE Crying. New parents and other care givers at all four hospitals will receive counseling and a booklet and DVD to help them understand normal infant crying, offer ways to reduce their stress related to the crying, and inform them of the dangers of shaking an infant.

"We all believe this is a very important grant," says Daggett. "This is a significant issue in the Rogue Valley and we believe this program will help parents and possibly even save lives."

The collaboration includes the birthing centers at Rogue Valley Medical Center, Providence Medford Medical Center, Ashland Community Hospital, and Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass as well as the Jackson County Health Department and the Child Advocacy Center (CAC). Other service providers who will reinforce The Period of PURPLE Crying prevention program for selected high-risk populations include: On-Track Home Program, On-Track Dad's Program, Family Nurturing Center, County Departments of Health and Human Services, Healthy Start, and the area's 3 Federally Qualified Health Centers' prenatal programs.

Relevant Agencies and groups that will provide project leadership and spearhead the community awareness campaign include the Children's Advocacy Center and Jackson County Health and Human Services; community obstetric, family and pediatric physicians, the Commission on Children and Families, the Perinatal Task Force, and the Medford Police Department.

Dr. Hecox, as medical director of the CAC, will be the project director.

About the Period of PURPLE Crying program

The Period of PURPLE Crying program is designed by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome to help prevent abuse and educate parents on babies' natural instinct to cry and how to respond.

Beginning in August, a booklet and 10-minute DVD explaining PURPLE crying and the dangers of shaking a baby will be given to parents of newborns at all area hospitals, said program director Dr. Kerri Hecox, medical director of the Children's Advocacy Center.

The PURPLE acronym spells out the crying characteristics of an inconsolable infant:

P - Peak pattern

U- Unpredictable and for long periods

R - Resistant to soothing

P - Pain-like facial expressions

L - Long bouts

E- Evening and late-afternoon clusters