Why teach middle and high school students about infant care?

We believe that education is the best prevention which is why PCAVT offers this presentation to all middle school and high school classes. Babies have been shaken by people of all ages, including older siblings and teenagers who were babysitting for just a few hours. Teens often care for babies and young children and will most likely grow up to become parents themselves. These are some of the reasons that middle and high school students are a key audience to reach with the message that it’s never okay to shake a baby. The devastating effects of this trauma carry lifelong effects not only for the infant but for the shaker and other family members.

This is a free interactive presentation that includes demonstrations with dolls that cry, brains that are made out of Jell-O, and videos that share true case studies. A typical presentation can include small-sized classrooms as well as entire student bodies. Utilizing a classroom discussion model and hands-on practice, students are given the opportunity to learn how babies communicate, why babies cry, and safe ways to deal with the frustrations and stress of caring for an infant.

Baby 101 can also be incorporated into your classroom. This training introduces caregivers to the basics of caring for a newborn, including information ranging from diaper changing to bathing. We also offer free Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention curriculum kits for educators who may want to be trainers.

To schedule a training, please contact Ann Shangraw at: 802-552-4269, or ashangraw@pcavt.org.