In Maine, Child abuse experts: How to cope with crying | Shaken Baby Syndrome

*Excerpt taken from article published here*

The court documents describing two month-old Ethan Henderson's injuries describe a father who became overwhelmed with his screaming baby, and lost control.

The documents state that Gordon Collins-Faunce called 911 and reported that his baby was having trouble breathing. Ethan was then taken by ambulance to the hospital. Collins-Faunce originally told police that he found Ethan in his crib struggling to breathe. But over the course of that day and the next, his story changed. He eventually admitted that Ethan was crying, so he picked the baby up by his head, squeezed, and then threw him into a chair. He told police he was feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Collins-Faunce also told police he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from suffering abuse as a child, and he often forgets to take his medication. Kids Free To Grow Executive Director Laurie DuPaul says cases like this are always preventable. She says parents who are feeling overwhelmed should reach out for help, and that we as a community need to start talking about these kinds of issues so that new parents don't feel like they are alone.

"Child abuse is something no one wants to talk about," DuPaul said. "I heard it recently spoken of as a dirty little secret. Everyone knows someone who has been abused or they've been abused themselves but no one wants to talk about it. It's something that needs to be talked about because it is preventable. Child abuse does not have to happen."

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If you have any questions or concerns about what can be done to help babies who have been shaken, or families of babies who have died, please call Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm toll-free for free consultation at (888) 592-5437 (KIDS), click on contact us here, or use the web form provided at http://www.keanelaw.com