Abusive Head Trauma
About ICON
The idea for the ICON programme and the different interventions within it was conceived by Dr Suzanne Smith PhD following a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travel Fellowship to USA and Canada in 2016 which included the study of effective interventions and research into the prevention of Abusive Head Trauma (AHT).
Research suggests that some lose control when a baby’s crying becomes too much. Some go on to shake a baby with devastating consequences. Suzanne found that the most effective evidence-based programmes studied provide a simple message that supports parents/caregivers to cope with infant crying.
Apart from preventing AHT, most people who have ever cared for a baby appreciate some advice about how to comfort a crying baby and how to cope when it goes on for a long time.
ICON is all about helping people who care for babies to cope with crying.
I – Infant crying is normal
C –Comforting methods can help
O – It’s OK to walk away
N – Never, ever shake a baby
Speak to someone if you need support such as your family, friends, Midwife, GP or Health Visitor.
Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board have created two video resourses for practitioners to download and share.