From the Experts: David Chadwick
This month, David Chadwick, MD--Director Emeritus of the Center for Child Protection at Rady Children's Hospital and author of the forthcoming The Child Abuse Doctors--has provided an essay that calls attention to two recent articles that detail studies and programs to protect children. Please enjoy and feel free to leave comments.
________________________________________________________
In the first half of 2009, there have been two important articles published that demonstrate advances in the possibility of prevention of physical abuse. The first is a controlled study of a simple and inexpensive preventive intervention that can be provided in a primary pediatric care setting. The second is a program with the goal of preventing shaken baby syndrome. While both are extremely useful, the need to raise their awareness is vital to ensure their long lasting success. Brief synopses of each are presented below with the hope that they will spark enough interest in the child protection community to promote further study.
The Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) program described by Dubowitz and colleagues was effective in reducing reports to child protective services and self-described aggression against young children [1]. The SEEK intervention requires pediatricians or other primary care providers to inquire about maternal depression and substance abuse and to utilize standard community services to deal with either problem. While larger studies and analyses in other settings are needed, the program could be very cost-beneficial.
A program that aims to prevent shaken baby syndrome by educating new parents about the dangers of shaking and safer ways to deal with crying babies has been tested by Barr and his associates [2]. They have demonstrated that parents learned from the program and retain the information over time, and that there did not appear to be any side effects from this learning process. Demonstration that the program actually prevents shaken baby syndrome will require studies in very large populations, because the syndrome is infrequent; however, the intervention is inexpensive and non-toxic so large-scale trials should be feasible.
In order to secure the lasting success of these programs, it is essential to spread awareness. If you are a professional working within the pediatric context, I implore you to seek out both articles, read them, and consider how your contribution could help.
1. Dubowitz, H, Feigelman S, Lane W, et al. Pediatric primary care to help prevent child maltreatment: the safe environment for every kid (SEEK) model. Pediatrics. 2009;123(3):858-64.
2. Barr RG, Rivara FP, Barr M, et al. Effectiveness of educational materials designed to change knowledge and behaviors regarding crying and shaken-baby syndrome in mothers of newborns: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics. 2009;123(3):972-80.
________________________________________________________
In the first half of 2009, there have been two important articles published that demonstrate advances in the possibility of prevention of physical abuse. The first is a controlled study of a simple and inexpensive preventive intervention that can be provided in a primary pediatric care setting. The second is a program with the goal of preventing shaken baby syndrome. While both are extremely useful, the need to raise their awareness is vital to ensure their long lasting success. Brief synopses of each are presented below with the hope that they will spark enough interest in the child protection community to promote further study.
The Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) program described by Dubowitz and colleagues was effective in reducing reports to child protective services and self-described aggression against young children [1]. The SEEK intervention requires pediatricians or other primary care providers to inquire about maternal depression and substance abuse and to utilize standard community services to deal with either problem. While larger studies and analyses in other settings are needed, the program could be very cost-beneficial.
A program that aims to prevent shaken baby syndrome by educating new parents about the dangers of shaking and safer ways to deal with crying babies has been tested by Barr and his associates [2]. They have demonstrated that parents learned from the program and retain the information over time, and that there did not appear to be any side effects from this learning process. Demonstration that the program actually prevents shaken baby syndrome will require studies in very large populations, because the syndrome is infrequent; however, the intervention is inexpensive and non-toxic so large-scale trials should be feasible.
In order to secure the lasting success of these programs, it is essential to spread awareness. If you are a professional working within the pediatric context, I implore you to seek out both articles, read them, and consider how your contribution could help.
1. Dubowitz, H, Feigelman S, Lane W, et al. Pediatric primary care to help prevent child maltreatment: the safe environment for every kid (SEEK) model. Pediatrics. 2009;123(3):858-64.
2. Barr RG, Rivara FP, Barr M, et al. Effectiveness of educational materials designed to change knowledge and behaviors regarding crying and shaken-baby syndrome in mothers of newborns: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics. 2009;123(3):972-80.
posted by Johnny at
9:59 AM
<< Home