Study: Shaken-Baby Cases Rose During the Recession

Time magazine reported that since the start of the current recession there has been a significant increase in cases of shaken baby syndrome, in which young children are shaken violently by an adult. This topic hits close to home for me, so I’d like to take a moment to bring awareness to this real and devastating form of child abuse. Researchers, led by child abuse expert Dr. Rachel Berger at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburg, analyzed 512 cases of head trauma in the children’s centers of four hospitals (in Pittsburgh, Pa.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; and Seattle). They found that the number of cases had increased from 6 per month to 9.3 per month as of Dec. 1, 2007, a rate that had held steady since 2004.

"This is a perfect storm in a bad way, where we have economic stressors that are causing the removal of social-service resources for preventing and addressing child abuse," says Berger. Dr. Berger cautions that her study highlights an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship, between the recession and the incidence of shaken babies. But findings such as these are a stark reminder that many stressful circumstances—family tragedy, natural disaster or financial problems may push parents or caretakers to the limits of their coping abilities.

Berger says the findings also serve to highlight the risks of cutting back on social services provided by cities when economic times get tough; these services can educate parents and provide resources to help them cope with the stress, preventing child abuse from occurring.

Please read more about Shaken Baby Syndrome at The Hannah Rose Foundation website, www.dontshakeyourbaby.com.

Read more of the Time article here.

The “Perfect” Time To Save

Everyone has an excuse to put off saving. You’re waiting until after the holidays, or until you pay off your credit card, or until the economy improves. Does this sound like you? The article, There’s No Perfect Time to Start Saving on Banks.com, states what I’ve been telling people for years. So many individuals of every age and income level are waiting for that “perfect” time to save, but the truth is, the perfect time to save is NOW. No matter what your income level I bet you can put a few dollars into an interest-bearing account each month.

Waiting for interest rates to rise again? Don’t hold your breath. I’ve only seen mine go down in the last few years. While interest is a wonderful way to make your money work for you, the main point is to get in the habit of saving. The “perfect” time to save will most likely never arrive. While financial experts recommend saving 10% of your income, every bit helps. Make a goal to put something into savings every month and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier financial future.

Read the full article here.