OBJECTIVE: Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is the leading cause of traumatic infant death. We examined whether the message about not shaking an infant should be included in the newborn anticipatory guidance provided by pediatric residents. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of an educational intervention (Take 5 Safety Plan for Crying) delivered by pediatric residents at newborn hospital discharge on beliefs about infant crying and knowledge of SBS among caregivers of young infants being treated in an urban primary care center.

METHODS: Structured interviews were done in one convenience sample of caregivers before (historical control group) and in a second set of different caregivers after (intervention group) an educational intervention was implemented at hospital discharge. Logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted associations between the intervention and caregivers’ beliefs/knowledge.

RESULTS: One hundred ten caregivers were in the historical control group and 112 in the intervention group. The intervention group had more mothers and the infants were younger. Controlling for these differences, intervention group caregivers were more likely to state they would take a break if frustrated with infant crying (OR 3.10, 95% CI, 1.62-5.93), were more likely to state frustration caused infant shaking (OR 2.21, 95% CI, 1.20-4.20), and to state their knowledge of SBS was from hospital staff (OR 3.39, 95% CI, 1.61-4.20).

CONCLUSION: This targeted postpartum intervention incorporated into newborn anticipatory guidance can influence caregivers’ beliefs about infant crying and knowledge of SBS.