This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cebc4cw.org/
This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cebc4cw.org/
Type of Maltreatment: Physical abuse
Target Population: All mothers of new infants and society in general in their understanding of early infant crying and shaken baby syndrome
Brief Description:(The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff.)
Period of Purple Crying has been rated by the CEBC in the area of Prevention (Secondary). It is a shaken baby syndrome prevention program that educates parents and caretakers on normal infant crying, the most common trigger for shaking an infant. It was designed to be used primarily in primary prevention settings, but is applicable to secondary prevention as well. The letters in PURPLE stand for the common properties of crying, including unsoothable crying, in infants during the first few months:
Peak pattern (crying peaks around 2 months, then decreases)
Unpredictable (crying for long periods can come and go for no reason)
Resistant to soothing (the baby may keep crying for long periods)
Pain-like look on face
Long bouts of crying (crying can go on for hours)
Evening crying (baby cries more in the afternoon and evening)
The program also contains a public media component aimed at changing cultural attitudes about crying, especially inconsolable crying.
Contact name: Marilyn Barr, Founder and Executive Director
Affiliation/Agency: National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome
Email: mbarr@dontshake.org
Phone: 801-627-3399
Fax: 801-627-3321
Website: http://www.dontshake.org
Click here for a detailed report which includes Essential Components, Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research, Education and Training Resources, etc.