ICON: Babies Cry, You Can Cope!

Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire Safeguarding Children Boards, and the Pan-Lancashire Child Death Overview Panel, have launched a new campaign which aims to help parents and carers to cope with a crying baby.  The call for resources comes from a number of infant deaths and serious case reviews where a baby has died or been seriously injured as a result of abusive head trauma.

Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) – also known as 'shaken baby syndrome' – causes catastrophic brain injuries, which can lead to death, or significant long term health and learning disabilities.  AHT is not restricted to specific socio-economic groups – it can occur in any environment, when a parent or carer is on the edge due to infant crying. 

The programme – ICON: Babies Cry, You Can Cope! – provides key messages and resources to let parents and carers know that infant crying is normal and there are methods which can be taken in order to cope.  Resources include leaflets, posters and video clips which can be shared with parents and carers at any contact had with midwives, health visitors, GPs, social workers, and other professionals working with families.

The ICON Key Messages are:

Resources:

• Films: Four video clips available to share key messages around:
• The ICON Message
• Infant Crying
• Comforting methods
• Parent relaxation methods
• Materials, including:
• Leaflets and Posters
• Opportunity Timeline
• Key Messages Powerpoint
• Further advice and support