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Originally Posted by azredhawk44
This was .... a slap.
This was not a beating/kicking/pounding or any other truly physical level of abuse. It's akin to a spanking.
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No, it isn't, actually. Mr. Stephens slapped the child "four or five times across the face." This is exactly the type of action that can produce abusive head trauma -- children under three are at particular risk for this, as they have large heads for their size and underdeveloped neck musculature. The type of injury that results from this, also referred to as "shaken baby syndrome," can be caused by shaking, slapping, or an impact with a solid surface or object. It's the combination of impact and rotational forces that does the damage.
AHT often causes irreversible damage. In the worst cases, children die due to their injuries.
Children who survive may have:
* partial or total blindness
* hearing loss
* seizures
* developmental delays
* impaired intellect
* speech and learning difficulties
* problems with memory and attention
* severe mental retardation
* cerebral palsy
Even in milder cases, in which babies looks normal immediately after the shaking, they may eventually develop one or more of these problems. Sometimes the first sign of a problem isn't noticed until the child enters the school system and exhibits behavioral problems or learning difficulties.
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/shaken.html
Any of these consequences would be worth preventing by pretty forceful means, wouldn't you say?
And, yes, it's nice to think that Mr. Stephens must suffer from dementia in order to have done this, but it ain't necessarily so, and even if it were, that doesn't mean the child was less at risk from his actions.
And for what it's worth, the shaking, or slapping, or whatever is nearly always done to stop a baby from crying...
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Originally Posted by flyguyskt
I have to say...I too have wanted to slap the snot out of some screaming little brats...and the parent too!
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Have a little sympathy next time. What would happen if you smiled and said to the parent, "Someone's a bit tired today -- can I do anything to help you?"