Brian Lopez
Tickets and Sponsorships
Dinner Seat
| Price: $75 |
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Bronze Sponsorship
| Price: $500 |
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Silver Sponsorship
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Gold Sponsorship
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Sponsors
25th Anniversary Gala
25th Anniversary Gala
This year marks the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome's 25th anniversary! In honor of this special milestone, we will be hosting our first local gala on April 24, 2025, from 6:30-930 p.m. at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. This celebration commemorates a quarter-century of dedication to our mission, and it is a testament to the collective effort and commitment of so many who have supported us along the way.
This semi-formal event not only celebrates our achievements but also looks ahead to expand our vital work. It will be a night of inspiring stories, heartfelt moments, and a renewed commitment to protecting vulnerable children. Your presence will bring extra joy to this celebration.
Click Here to Register for the Gala
The dress for this event is semi-formal.
Gala Program
6:30—7:00 PM | Welcome Reception & Registration
7:00—7:30 PM | Dinner Seating & Salad Course
7:30—8:00 PM | Dinner Service
8:00—8:30 PM | Program
8:30—9:00 PM | Donation Opportunity & Dessert Service
9:00—9:30 PM | Celebration & Socializing
2025 Virtual Family Symposium
Presents The
Virtual Family Support Symposium
May 14, 2025
The Virtual Family Support Symposium will be held on a virtual format and will feature presentations addressing many of the issues that families of victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT) face.
Registration is FREE!
Attendance for this event will be FREE to everyone who would like to participate thanks to the generosity of the Matty Eappen Foundation! Though attendance is free for all participants, registration is required in order to receive information regarding symposium updates, announcements, and Zoom instructions.
This symposium will not be offering any continuing education units (CEUs) and will program presentations that are relevant and valuable to families of victims of SBS/AHT. These presentations might include topics like processing grief, resources to navigate available resources at the state and federal level, and therapies that may be available for victims of SBS/AHT for example. We will post the program for this symposium as soon as it is available.
For questions about the symposium, please contact the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome:
Phone: (801) 447-9360 ext.105
Email:
Register for the symposium by clicking this button: REGISTER NOW
State-Specific SBS/AHT Legislation
Current State-Specific Legislation
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome is now hosting a section on our website that lists the current laws in every state of the United States of America related to Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT). Laws include any SBS/AHT education required to be given to families of new babies, SBS/AHT education required of childcare providers, SBS/AHT education required to be taught in schools, etc.
Click this button to find the current legislation related to SBS/AHT in your state. Find SBS/AHT Legislation in Your State
State-Specific Shaken Baby Syndrome Legislation
Please click on a state to see the legislation related to shaken baby syndrome specific to that state.
2026 Nashville
Twentieth International Conference on Shaken Baby Syndrome / Abusive Head Trauma
Loews Vanderbilt Hotel - Nashville, TN
September 20, 21, and 22, 2026
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome is pleased to announce our twentieth biennial conference will be in Nashville on September 20, 21 and 22, 2026. The conference will bring together the world's experts to present the newest research and best practices in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, investigation, prosecution, or rehabilitation of victims of shaken baby syndrome/abusive head trauma. Return to this page and follow our social media channels for the latest updates on the conference. Click this link for information on the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.
2024 Salt Lake City
Nineteenth International Conference on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma
The Nineteenth International Conference on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma was held on September 15, 16, 17, 2024, at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. More than 400 people from 11 countries participated in over 60 sessions focusing on family/victim support, investigative techniques, legal and trial experiences, prevention programs from around the world, the latest research from experts in the field, and shared experiences from parents and survivors.
We were honored to have the conference kick off with a keynote presentation by Dr. Lori Frasier, “Deconstructing a Diagnosis of Abusive Head Trauma.”
Some of the other highlights of the 3-day event included:
- Marilyn Barr received the Lifetime Achievement Award. She founded the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome and has worked tirelessly as an advocate since. A special piece of art was commissioned and painted for Marilyn by Sabine Witte, a survivor.
- A three-part series was presented over the course of 3 hours detailing the process of a successful conviction in Boise, Idaho. Speakers included Dr. Lori Frasier, Dr. Gina Bertocci, Dr. Derrick Dauplaise, Jason Pietrzak, Daniel Dinger, and Tessie Buttram.
- Debbie Eappen and Sameer Sabir were keynote speakers addressing “Media: Fact or Fiction, Friend of Foe.“ This was an in-depth presentation on their experiences with the media during their cases and ways they were further victimized.
- Special family-oriented sessions included music therapy, caring for the caregiver, and the benefits of animal therapy.
We are so grateful for the incredible speakers who presented at this conference, sharing their experiences, research, and knowledge. The survey feedback was the highest we have ever achieved!
Our twentieth conference will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 21, 21 & 22, 2026, at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.
NCSBS Celebrating Shaken Baby Awareness Day in Kansas October 9th
The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) celebrates Shaken Baby Awareness Day in Kansas
The NCSBS’ Executive Director is traveling to Topeka to participate in a festival sharing governor’s proclamation of shaken baby awareness day in honor of Mireya Keck, victim of shaken baby syndrome who passed away in January
Topeka, Kansas – October 7, 2024 – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly proclaimed October 9, 2024 as Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Day in Kansas, and National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) Executive Director Danielle Vazquez will be in Topeka to celebrate with the family of the young girl for whom the proclamation honors, Mireya Keck, who passed away this past January from the injuries she sustained when she was shaken at just seven (7) weeks old.
“It is an honor to be in Kansas to recognize Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Day at the Miracle Mireya Butterfly Family Festival,” says Vazquez. “We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Mireya’s mother, Kathy, over the last few months learning about her drive to prevent shaken baby syndrome/abusive head trauma in Kansas and support families through the Miracle Mireya Foundation. We already have strong prevention partners in Kansas including the Kansas Children’s Service League and several hospitals and medical centers. Now with the Miracle Mireya Foundation getting started with Kathy’s direction, we are excited about the renewed focus on the safety of Kansas’ children. The steps taken now will benefit children well into the future.”
The free family festival is expected to draw hundreds to Gage Park in Topeka where they can find hours of entertainment from dozens of organizations and community groups who will be there to support the Miracle Mireya Foundation. Several area food and beverage trucks will also be at the festival to serve those attending.
While the festival serves to bring awareness to shaken baby syndrome (SBS) and honor Mireya’s life, why the butterfly theme?
“Mireya loved butterflies,” says Kathy Keck, Mireya’s mother and the founder of the Miracle Mireya Foundation. “Our daughter Josie was still born in 2013, and we started seeing butterflies everywhere. After Mireya entered our lives whenever a butterfly would appear, we’d tell her it was her sister watching over her. Also, Mireya’s life story is the perfect example of the life cycle of butterfly going from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly and her life emulates the concept of the butterfly effect.”
In the spirit of the event, festival attendees can expect to be offered a butterfly-themed item before they leave. “We’ve asked all the organizations who are participating to bring something butterfly-themed that they can share with those who attend the festival,” says Keck. “And the first one hundred children who arrive will get a free pair of butterfly wings.”
The festival will also include an auction with proceeds directly benefiting the foundation and their mission to prevent SBS, support families of children with disabilities and spread joy through acts of kindness. Donations to the foundation are encouraged, and attendees will have options to donate at the event. Donations can also be made on their website at stopshakenbaby.com.
“All the donations received at the festival will help us in our efforts to honor Mireya’s life through SBS prevention and helping families with disabilities,” says Keck. “We’re just getting started, and we have a lot of work to do. Shaken baby syndrome is devastating to babies and their families, but it’s absolutely preventable. Mireya was a miracle. She lived eight years after suffering what one neurologist said was one of the worst cases of shaken baby that had survived. We want to do our part to make sure no other families need a miracle to see their babies live for eight years.”
Conference Approved for Medical Examiner and Legal Continuing Education
SBS/AHT Conference Approved for Medical Examiner and Legal Continuing Education Hours
The Nineteenth International Conference on SBS/AHT is approved for continuing education hours for both medical examiners and legal professionals (registered in Utah).
Approved for Fifteen (15) ABMDI Continuing Education Credit Hours: This program is Approved by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators Inc. for fifteen (15) continuing education credit hours.
Approved for Eighteen (18) Continuing Legal Education Hours for Utah Attorneys: Utah State Board of CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION Utah has approved this conference for eighteen (18) CLE credits for attorneys licensed in Utah.
Click this button to register for the conference. Register for the Conference
Medical Consensus
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General Consensus
In May 2018, The Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR), European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR), American Society of Pediatric Neuroradiology (ASPNR), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), European Society of Neuroradiology (ESNR), American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), Swedish Paediatric Society, Norwegian Pediatric Association and Japanese Pediatric Society published a joint consensus statement on abusive head trauma/shaken baby syndrome. This is the most comprehensive and complete consensus statement published to date. The statement is published in Pediatric Radiology.
American Academy of Pediatrics
The AAP continues to affirm the dangers and harms of shaking infants, continues to embrace the “shaken baby syndrome” diagnosis as a valid subset of the AHT diagnosis, and encourages pediatric practitioners to educate community stakeholders when necessary.The American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Shaken Baby Syndrome (also known as Shaken Impact Syndrome) is a serious form of abuse inflicted upon a child. It usually occurs when a parent or other caregiver shakes a baby out of anger or frustration, often because the baby will not stop crying.Canadian Joint Statement on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma
Shaken Baby Syndrome is a collection of findings, all of which may not be present in any individual child with the condition. Injuries that characterize Shaken Baby Syndrome are intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in and around the brain); retinal hemorrhage (bleeding in the retina of the eye); and fractures of the ribs and at the ends of the long bones.The American Academy of Ophthalmology
Shaken Baby Syndrome is a subset of Abusive Head Trauma characterized by repetitive acceleration-deceleration forces with or without blunt head impact resulting in a unique complex of ocular, intracranial, and sometimes other injuries, usually in infants…it has become widely recognized as one of the most serious manifestations of physical child abuse.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Abusive head trauma (AHT), which includes shaken baby syndrome, is a preventable and severe form of physical child abuse that results in an injury to the brain of an infant or child. AHT is most common in children under age five, with children under one year of age at most risk. It is caused by violent shaking or blunt impact.The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
A child suspected of abusive head injury is referred by paediatricians to an ophthalmologist for evaluation. The incidence of abusive head injury in children is highest in infancy and less frequently seen in children over 3 years of age. Retinal haemorrhages have a high positive predictive rate for abusive head injury.French Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
SBS is a type of inflicted, non-accidental or abusive head injury caused by shaking (either alone or combined with an impact). It mainly occurs in babies under the age of one. It is thought that 180 to 200 children per year are victims of this type of abuse in France, although this value is certainly an underestimate. Failure to diagnose SBS increases the likelihood of recurrence.American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
SBS, a form of non-accidental trauma, occurs when babies are shaken. This shaking damages the brain and eyes and can lead to lifelong consequences including death. When there is suspected abuse an eye examination is performed to look for injury. The eye examination is only one aspect of an SBS diagnosis. An evaluation includes multiple experts who examine the child’s brain, bones, and environment. Alternate explanations for injuries are looked into and tested prior to diagnosing SBS.
Research
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Articles Everyone Should Know
These are some of the most relevant research articles about Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma that will aid a lay person wanting to learn more about this form of child abuse.
Recent Research
The list below contains the most recent research relevant to SBS/AHT published during the past few years. The list cites the article’s title, author(s), title of the periodical or book, publication date and a link to the abstract or full article (if available).
State Specific Legislation
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Please click on a state to see the legislation related to shaken baby syndrome specific to that state.
FAQ
Attention on Prevention Podcast
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Attention on Prevention podcast brings in guests to talk about the prevention of child and infant maltreatment as well as delve into other parenting issues. We'll bring in families of victims of abuse and victims themselves to discuss their stories, world experts in various medical fields to discuss current research and past experiences as well as other guests with legal and prevention backgrounds. Brought to you by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome. You can find each month's episode here on our website or wherever you get your podcasts.
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