| I want to stress how important it is to support any | | | | of us think of brain damage to an extreme degree but |
| baby's head when lifting and carrying them because it | | | | it doesn't always mean a wheelchair and 24 hour care. |
| isn't well known how much damage can be unwittingly | | | | Indeed it can be slight enough to just affect a child's |
| inflicted on tiny and helpless infants. | | | | intelligence, reaction speed, co-ordination or indeed |
| I believe every mother of a newborn is given this | | | | anything the brain is wonderfully designed to control, |
| advice as soon as she first moves to lift her baby. | | | | but even this kind of damage is bound to make a big |
| "Support his/her head". All mothers realise that for the | | | | difference to the quality of life the child would then |
| baby's sake, they must do this, but the danger is that | | | | lead. |
| not everyone in families heeds this advice and it isn't | | | | Rough play with a baby before it can even crawl is |
| just uncomfortable for the unsupported baby - It's very | | | | extremely dangerous and everyone who is likely to be |
| dangerous. | | | | involved in the care of a new baby needs to be made |
| No-one would deliberately risk a baby's health but | | | | aware of this. Also they must be advised to take care |
| many folk don't know it isn't just about the baby's | | | | to always support the newborn's head when walking |
| comfort, it's about possible - and highly likely - brain | | | | with baby in their arms, and the reason explained |
| damage, which can be slight or devastating. | | | | clearly. |
| The danger area, or weakness, in a baby is the point | | | | I find it very worrying because on several occasions |
| where the brain meets the spinal cord. A rocking | | | | during my own life I've seen people lift a baby without |
| motion with the head unsupported can cause some | | | | supporting the head and have quickly said "Support its |
| damage to the part of the spinal cord that controls | | | | head" and I think of the thousands of babies who had |
| breathing. | | | | no-one there to help them out with that extremely |
| So a child born completely healthy can be injured in this | | | | important advice. |
| way without anyone realising. The result is brain | | | | In an effort to keep helpless babies safe we need to |
| damage to some degree and a harder life for the child | | | | have warnings and advice about supporting a baby's |
| from thereon. | | | | head printed on packs of diapers and baby formula, |
| Obviously colicky babies are at extra risk because | | | | just as warnings about the dangers to health are |
| they need a lot more lifting and carrying, usually by a | | | | printed on packs of cigarettes and tobacco. |
| parent who is exhausted and exasperated by the | | | | Adults make their own choices about risk-taking with |
| hours of crying. | | | | their health or are addicted and therefore disregard the |
| Researchers who examined the brains of children | | | | warnings, but babies are completely dependent on their |
| who were thought to have been killed by violent | | | | carers, so in my opinion it's very important that all |
| shaking discovered that even mild shaking can cause | | | | carers, including older siblings, have the dangers of a |
| damage to the nerve fibres that control breathing. The | | | | baby's head not being supported explained clearly to |
| lack of oxygen makes the brain swell and can easily | | | | them. |
| cause some degree of brain damage or even death. | | | | It is much easier to remember and comply with a rule |
| When we speak of brain damaged folk I guess most | | | | if we know the reason for that rule. |