Abusive Head Trauma often occurs when a care-giver is frustrated with an infant's behavior, and takes action...incorrectly.

How would you deal with a shark attack? A home invasion? Loss of your job?

While thinking and talking about things is a good first step, action is what changes the world, and to take correct action amongst a variety of stimulus, we need practice.

Practice Taking Action (PTA)

1) Teamwork

At the beginning of your child care journey, always practice with another, and preferably with someone who has experience. Assign one of you as lead for a fixed period (say 15 minutes to start) while the other watches, then review and suggest new actions for the next time.

2) Talk It Out

While having first Teamwork practices, talk through all the thoughts and feelings that come into your head. Often we try to internalize everything, and this pressure build up can lead to future explosions. Be aware of your own, and your partners', monologue in connection with their actions, to find possible triggers for feelings of frustration and anger. Be especially aware of any physical changes, such as grabbing the infant more firmly, or a change in tone of voice.

3) Practice Options

With your partner, come up with options of behavior, and practice taking those options explicitly. Practice being with the child, then actively disengaging, and reaching out to others, so that when the triggering behavior comes, you have these alternate behaviours trained up and ready to go.

Continue cycling through these steps in larger time increments, up to a couple of hours.

By working within this framework of Teamwork, Talking It Out, and Practicing Options, you will gradually build the skills you need to handle an infant, and support others in their infant handling as well.

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