SOMERSET County Council’s public health team has joined other organisations to promote lifesaving messages to parents.

‘Babies cry, you can cope’ is a key message of ICON Week, which runs until Friday (September 30).

The ICON programme helps families create a nurturing environment and learn supporting comfort methods to help soothe crying babies.

Working with the NHS, healthcare organisations, social care, early years and community and voluntary partners, Somerset County Council’s public health team is sharing tips, advice and best practice to help parents cope with crying babies.

Research suggests some parents and caregivers can lose control when a baby’s crying becomes too much, with some going on to shake a baby.

Abusive Head Trauma (AHT) is a preventable and severe form of child abuse that may result from shaking an infant, causing catastrophic brain injuries, which can lead to death, or significant long-term health and learning disabilities.

The ICON programme provides information about infant crying, including how to cope, support parents/carers, reduce stress and prevent AHT in babies.

The second annual ICON week aims to raise awareness of infant crying and how to cope in a bid to support parents/carers and prevent serious injury, illness and even death of young babies.

Research points to persistent crying in babies being a potential trigger for some parents/caregivers to lose control and shake a baby, with around 70 per cent of incidents involving men.

The evidence-based programme consists of a series of brief interventions that reinforce the simple message making up the ICON acronym:

Infant crying is normal and will stop;

Comport methods can sometimes soothe the baby and crying will stop;

OK to walk away for a few minutes if you have checked the baby is safe and the crying is getting to you;

Never shake or hurt a baby.

Cllr Adam Dance, lead member for public health at County Hall, said: “Most babies start to cry more frequently from two weeks of age, with a peak usually being seen around eight to eight weeks.

“The ICON training programme guides health professionals in the techniques that can be used in these situations. They can then pass on this information to parents and carers, helping them to cope.”

Anyone struggling to cope can access help from their midwife, health visitor, GP at cypsomersethealth.org/?ks=1&page=safety__coping_with_crying or www.iconcope.org/iconweek2022