Marshfield Clinic asking for knit baby caps and booties to raise awareness for 'period of purple crying'

Weekend Meteorologist/News Reporter

EAU CLAIRE (WQOW) - If you knit or crochet, local hospital officials need your skills and your help to raise awareness to protect their smallest patients.

Marshfield Clinic Health System is asking for knitted or crocheted purple baby caps and booties. This is a part of a campaign called 'CLICK for babies' that runs from now until September. The campaign raises awareness and educates those about infants 'period of purple crying'.

According to Dr. Kristen Iniguez, a pediatrician that deals with child abuse and neglect with Marshfield, said the 'period of purple crying' refers to the first few months where babies cry often. When babies cry often, some parents may think shaking the baby will stop the crying, but it does more damage than good.

"People do it and it's been done for centuries because it works," said Iniguez. "By shaking a baby, you're essentially concussing their little brain and they stop crying for the most part but unfortunately when we do that, we are causing damage to the brain itself. Where changing how the brain is going to eventually grow and develop and this type of injury can be catastrophic."

According to national statistics, on average, 20% of babies die from abusive head trauma (which was formerly known as shaken baby syndrome). The other 80%, are known to develop disabilities or a change in behaviors.

Instead, health officials recommend you simply let your baby cry it out.

You can drop off caps and booties at any Marshfield Clinic location. To know what size, style, and type of yarn to use, you can find general information here.

For sizing for caps, click here.

For sizing for booties, click here.

Send your weather and pet photos to News 18 here

Weekend Meteorologist/News Reporter