Home 
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Shaken Children
Can Have Learning Disabilities
 We know that even 25% of children who appear to have no bad effects from having been shaken can still experience learning disabilities when they start school.
This list of signs of a learning disability may signal the need for early intervention, before the child goes to school.
If you know a child with many of these signs, encourage the child to be evaluated for the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) or ChildFind.
"Thank you for coming to my class. You taught me some stuff I didn't know, like Shaken Baby Syndrome. I did not know that most of the babies that are shaken can have brain and balance disorders." --Juan (6th Grade)
Signs of a learning disability
When a child has a learning disability, he or she:
- May have trouble learning the alphabet, rhyming words, or connecting letters to their sounds
- May make many mistakes when reading aloud, and repeat and pause often
- May not understand what he or she reads
- May have real trouble with spelling
- May have very messy handwriting or hold a pencil awkwardly
- May struggle to express ideas in writing
- May learn language late and have a limited vocabulary
- May have trouble remembering the sounds that letters make or hearing slight differences between words
- May have trouble understanding jokes, comic strips and sarcasm
- May have trouble following directions
- May mispronounce words or use a wrong word that sounds similar
- May have trouble organizing what he or she wants to say
- Mat not be able to think of the word he or she needs for writing or in conversation
- May not follow the social rules of conversation, such as taking turns
- May stand too close to someone speaking trying to listen
- May confuse math symbols and misread numbers
- May not be able to retell a story in order (what happened first, second, next)
- May not know where to begin a task or how to go on from there
If a child has unexpected problems learning to read, write, listen, speak, or do math, then teachers and parents may want to investigate more. The same is true if the child is struggling to do any one of these skills. The child may need to be evaluated to see if he or she has a learning disability.
|
Shaken Children Can Have Learning Disabilities
We know that even 25% of children who appear to have no bad effects from having been shaken can still experience learning disabilities when they ... READ MORE
|
 It only takes a few seconds to change lives forever!
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is the collection of signs and symptoms resulting from the violent shaking of an infant or small ... READ MORE
|
Education is Prevention
Shaken Baby Syndrome is 100% preventable.
A major step in prevention will be achieved if the public health message "
Never Shake a Baby" can be made part of our culture, just like "Don't Drink and Drive". Many people don't know that shaking a baby or a toddler can be dangerous.
Our strategy of prevention
is two fold.
1. Educate the public about the serious medical and legal consequences of shaking a baby, provide methods of coping with the stressful demands of a crying baby or difficult toddler, and provide guidance on selecting caregivers for infants and young children.
2. Deliver tailored messaging with coping information to those who are at higher risk of shaking a baby, and equip those providing guidance and service to high-risk groups with the appropriate Never Shake A Baby Arizona prevention resources.