Try a Little Gentleness ...

Last month we blogged about how curious it seemed that the religious zealotry disorder-impaired somehow couldn't get behind campaigns for the purpose of preventing violence against infants, toddlers and children.

This in part demonstrates the connection between an adherence to religious authoritarism and support for using physical abuse as a form of discipline to exact obedience from children.

And then of course, there are those who defend, rationalize, justify and tolerate the decades of physical, sexual, emotional and spiritual violence that members of the Catholic Church clergy and those under their authority inflicted upon children in their care.

It's inspiring to see that the Canadiens hockey player Georges Laraque lends his support to efforts to educate parents about the dangers of Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Scientific information VS religious zealotry propaganda.

Last week we wrote about Apple's ill-advised facilitation of an iPod download.

Since then, pediatricians have announced that the term for injuries caused by parents' or infant care-givers' actions has been changed from 'Shaken Baby Syndrome' to the more scientifically appropriate 'Abusive Head Trauma'. In Canada, the Canadian Medical Association Journal recently reported that a study provided evidence that appropriately targeted campaigns to increase awareness about the harm that can be caused to infants and babies are effective. In fact, it recommended that the information presented by a limited number of instructors could be reinforced by

"... multiple exposures through prenatal, maternity and postnatal health care providers, media and community support organizations," write Dr. Ronald Barr and coauthors. Dr. Barr is head of community child health at the Child & Family Research Institute and professor of pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.

"These findings complement the small number of reports that have reported that practical and contextually relevant materials presented to parents before or shortly after birth can change knowledge and behaviours and perhaps reduce the incidence of shaken baby syndrome ..."

One has to wonder about individuals who respond to the CBC news item with comments like these:

Here We are talking about Shaken baby syndrome and change to Abusive head injury. But we don't have to forget that Shaken baby syndromes are based on Unproven, Junk science. There is no proff that shaking cause the head injury and here Canada 143 cases put on inquiry. my conclusion of this all event is to save thier job as child advocate pediatician because they thought that we cann't servive under Shaken baby syndrome termilogy. Moreover they get open field to do whatever they want to do with any kid addmite in Hospital as head injury and Pediatrician can hide all mistake they made at hospital by sutting down mouth of parents and caregiver by alligating kid have Abusive head trama. ...

Here we are talking about life science not build a CN tower. Do you have any medical literature that you prove a SBS in Lab? Any buddy see the Baby was Shaken? Is it Bacterial Or a Viral dieases that you can grow on aggar media? Is it a Litmuspaper test that you can see colour change looking at light? Is it a Giemsa stain test that you can see under microcsope? If Yes, late me know which medical literature have all these tests ruslts. If NO then who write all literatue? Those want prove theire finding at legal battle. Is not POV, IS TRUTH

Don't those pronouncements have the familiar ring of zygote zealots who cherry-pick scientific information that purportedly supports their abortion-criminalizing, contraceptive-demonizing screeds and yet who deride any challenge, even medical, to their Gawd-given control over women and children's well-being and safety?

Edited to update a link that was no longer available.

No iPhone Shake-A-Babe game.

While rightwingnutters, religious zealots and assorted abortion criminalizing batshit crazies drool over this, organizations who are seriously committed to the health and safety of vulnerable babies and infants who have come into this world expressed strong concerns about an iPhone game.

Apple Inc. pulled a 99-cent iPhone game called "Baby Shaker" from its iTunes store Wednesday after its premise — quiet a crying baby with a vigorous shake — prompted outrage.

According to screen shots posted on several Web sites, "Baby Shaker" displayed black-and-white line drawings of a baby. The iTunes description included the line, "See how long you can endure his or her adorable cries before you just have to find a way to quiet the baby down!" Once the iPhone owner finishes shaking the device, the on-screen baby is depicted with large red X's over its eyes. ...

Public outcry ensued, with organizations including the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome and the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation condemning Apple for approving the game's sale.

For those not familiar with Shaken Baby Syndrome it's important to stress that grave injuries occur when parents, care-givers and child minders are unaware of the extreme harm this action can produce and unable to access other strategies to calm and soothe a crying infant. In recent years a number of community-based initiatives have been successful in reducing incidents and increasing awareness of this public health issue.

Shaken Baby Syndrome is neither a laughing nor a gaming matter.