Gage's Story
Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Every year more than 3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving more than 6 million children (A report can include multiple children). The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations- losing on average between four and seven children every day to child abuse and neglect.
While these statistics show that most of these cases represent children who suffer from neglect, Gage's story is one of thousands of unfortunate incidents when a parent or other caregiver loses control and violently shakes and/or throws a baby or vulnerable young child.
My son, Gage, was born on September 6, 2003. He was a beautiful baby boy, active and thriving, and my maternity leave passed too quickly. Four short days after returning to work on November 11, 2003, I received a phone call. It was the kind of phone call that literally would shake our lives forever. There has been an accident. My husband at the time said he was bathing Gage and dropped him. He said he hit his head on the bathtub, toilet and then floor.
Following an evaluation in the emergency room of our local hospital, he was sent by ambulance to Children's Hospital where the results of a CT scan revealed information I could never, ever have imagined. Gage had been shaken, his brain damaged, the long term outlook unknown. My husband continually assured me that he had not shaken our son and his injuries had to be due to the fall in the bathroom. I believed him. I saw him with Gage. I could just not imagine that the man who loved, played with and cared for our son, would have injured our son.
Gage's brain was swelling and the devastating damage was beginning to show. His brain was in constant seizure activity. No one could imagine how I felt when I was told by doctors that this is critical and your son may not survive.
Unimaginably, our nightmare had only begun as my family, friends and I had just embarked upon a journey into a new reality, one filled with doctors, therapists, police, courtrooms, attorneys, and county advocates.
Gage spent 18 days in Children's Hospital and on day 2 my husband at the time was arrested and charged with the injuries to our son. Gage's father who insisted on his innocence was convicted of malicious punishment of a child. He spent a year in jail and 10 years of probation. It wasn't until years later that he would admit to shaking our son.
Gage is now 16 years old. He has spent his life going to doctor appointments, speech, occupational, physical and behavior therapy. Gage suffers from anxiety, sleep disorder, behavior issues, sensory issues, cortical vision impairment,and migraines. He has had vision surgery and an extensive surgery to both his legs. He has to wear a helmet in areas of his life where he could injury his head such as physical education, recess and outside in the winter.
Gage has often asked why his dad shook him. I told him exactly what I am going to tell you. I can't imagine anyone gets up in the morning thinking "I think I'll shake my baby today, maybe even throw him." That loss of control in a critical moment can happen to anyone, for lots of reasons. They don't plan to be abusive.
That moment happened for Gage as it has for thousands of other children. That moment impacts lives forever. Not just the life of the victim, also the lives of the other family members.
By first recognizing this problem exists in our society and then becoming involved in prevention all child abuse, including shaken baby syndrome, will no longer plague our world.
While these statistics show that most of these cases represent children who suffer from neglect, Gage's story is one of thousands of unfortunate incidents when a parent or other caregiver loses control and violently shakes and/or throws a baby or vulnerable young child.
My son, Gage, was born on September 6, 2003. He was a beautiful baby boy, active and thriving, and my maternity leave passed too quickly. Four short days after returning to work on November 11, 2003, I received a phone call. It was the kind of phone call that literally would shake our lives forever. There has been an accident. My husband at the time said he was bathing Gage and dropped him. He said he hit his head on the bathtub, toilet and then floor.
Following an evaluation in the emergency room of our local hospital, he was sent by ambulance to Children's Hospital where the results of a CT scan revealed information I could never, ever have imagined. Gage had been shaken, his brain damaged, the long term outlook unknown. My husband continually assured me that he had not shaken our son and his injuries had to be due to the fall in the bathroom. I believed him. I saw him with Gage. I could just not imagine that the man who loved, played with and cared for our son, would have injured our son.
Gage's brain was swelling and the devastating damage was beginning to show. His brain was in constant seizure activity. No one could imagine how I felt when I was told by doctors that this is critical and your son may not survive.
Unimaginably, our nightmare had only begun as my family, friends and I had just embarked upon a journey into a new reality, one filled with doctors, therapists, police, courtrooms, attorneys, and county advocates.
Gage spent 18 days in Children's Hospital and on day 2 my husband at the time was arrested and charged with the injuries to our son. Gage's father who insisted on his innocence was convicted of malicious punishment of a child. He spent a year in jail and 10 years of probation. It wasn't until years later that he would admit to shaking our son.
Gage is now 16 years old. He has spent his life going to doctor appointments, speech, occupational, physical and behavior therapy. Gage suffers from anxiety, sleep disorder, behavior issues, sensory issues, cortical vision impairment,and migraines. He has had vision surgery and an extensive surgery to both his legs. He has to wear a helmet in areas of his life where he could injury his head such as physical education, recess and outside in the winter.
Gage has often asked why his dad shook him. I told him exactly what I am going to tell you. I can't imagine anyone gets up in the morning thinking "I think I'll shake my baby today, maybe even throw him." That loss of control in a critical moment can happen to anyone, for lots of reasons. They don't plan to be abusive.
That moment happened for Gage as it has for thousands of other children. That moment impacts lives forever. Not just the life of the victim, also the lives of the other family members.
By first recognizing this problem exists in our society and then becoming involved in prevention all child abuse, including shaken baby syndrome, will no longer plague our world.
