According to the most recent U.S. Census report, nearly five percent of women in The Woodlands gave birth last year. With the typical paid maternity leave lasting four weeks, most new moms in The Woodlands are forced to seek childcare help for infants when they are one month old. (The adoption of SB 222 last fall gave state workers eight weeks of paid parental leave with little ones entering local daycare centers at two months old.)
Our experienced daycare injury lawyers want to shed light on the risk of shaken baby syndrome (SBS), a severe form of daycare abuse where frustrated caregivers in The Woodlands violently shake infants. The harsh and forceful movement causes extreme head trauma for a baby, moving the brain within the skull and leading to bruising, swelling, and bleeding, causing 70% of victims to develop lifelong disabilities. You can see the effects of SBS on the brain in these scans provided by The Shaken Baby Alliance.
A medical study published in May 2023 names SBS as the most dangerous and deadly form of child abuse. Little ones between 2 and 4 months are at the highest risk of experiencing SBS at the hands of a caregiver, according to the American Association of Pediatrics, because the typical duration of crying for an infant who is properly cared for may last 1-2 hours. Continuous loud crying can trigger extreme frustration or anger in untrained caregivers at daycare centers in The Woodlands.
What Are the Signs an Infant Was Shaken by a Daycare Worker in The Woodlands?
There are often no obvious physical signs of harm immediately after a caregiver shakes a baby at a daycare center in The Woodlands, so parents must closely monitor a child’s demeanor and temperament. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, symptoms begin to peak 4-6 hours after the shaking incident. They can manifest by:
- Abnormally slow and shallow respiration
- Altered level of consciousness
- Bleeding in the eyes
- Breathing problems
- Cardiac arrest
- Change in the posture where the head tilts back, and the back is more arched than usual
- Coma or unresponsive
- Convulsions or seizures
- Decreased appetite
- Dilated pupils that do not respond to light
- Drowsiness and irritability
- Larger than normal head size
- Nausea and vomiting
- Swelling in the soft spot of an infant’s head
Some little ones may even have rib fractures caused by the caregiver squeezing their tiny and fragile bodies tightly to shake them. Learn more about signs that could indicate an infant was shaken at a daycare center in The Woodlands in this video.
Sadly, nearly 25% of SBS victims succumb to their severe injuries caused by the abuse, according to The Shaken Baby Alliance.
I Think My Infant Has Been Shaken at a Daycare Center in The Woodlands. What Should I Do?
Parents in The Woodlands who suspect an infant has been shaken by caregivers at a local daycare center should follow these steps:
- Seek medical attention for your child at Texas Children’s Hospital in The Woodlands. You’ll want your child to be properly evaluated and get necessary scans to understand the extent of harm the shaking caused your infant. Doctors can also work on treatment plans.
- Call 911 and report the shaking incident to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Shaking an infant is a form of child abuse, and the caregiver may be prosecuted.
- Report the incident to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) by calling the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400 or by filing a report at txabusehotlline.org so that the incident can be investigated. Tracking deficiencies at the daycare center in The Woodlands can help your family’s legal case and potentially protect other families from these traumatic incidents.
- Inform yourself and investigate. Talk to the daycare center’s employees and administrators to learn as much information as possible about the incident and caregiver training. Keep detailed notes, including screenshots of any text messages or emails from the daycare center discussing the incident.
- Contact our experienced daycare injury lawyers in The Woodlands. Your family may be eligible for compensation to cover the medical expenses, therapy, and other current and long-term resources that help your child heal from being shaken by a caregiver. We are ready to listen and advise your family on the best approach to hold the daycare accountable and get justice for your child’s traumatic experience and injuries. However, there is a two-year time limit for filing a personal injury claim in Texas, so we advise contacting our team sooner rather than later.
In the tragic event that a child passes away because of injuries sustained from being shaken by a caregiver at a daycare center in The Woodlands, surviving parents may be eligible to file a wrongful death of a child lawsuit and seek compensation to cover:
- Funeral expenses
- Medical expenses incurred before a child’s passing away
- Loss of consortium for family members
- Loss of income
- Emotional damages such as pain and suffering
If you have questions about shaken baby syndrome or an SBS incident at a daycare center in The Woodlands, call us at 281-857-6116 or email [email protected]. Our experienced daycare injury lawyers will listen and determine the best way to help you and your family move forward.
Help Your Child After a Shaken Baby Incident at a Daycare Center in The Woodlands
Our team of experienced and compassionate daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your infant is a victim of shaken baby syndrome because of negligent actions at a center in The Woodlands, Texas. Helping clients in Montgomery County, we are ready to listen and fight for your family. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 281-857-6116, email us at [email protected], or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.
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