The 17-year-old single mother of a 2-month-old infant comes to the clinic and tells the nurse,"Sometimes no matter what I do my baby won't stop crying.I hold him up in the air and shake him until he stops." Based on these statements by the mother,what is the first action by the nurse?

A) Teach the mother about the dangers of shaking a baby
B) Report child abuse to the appropriate authorities
C) Teach the mother other methods to stop the baby from crying
D) Encourage the mother to obtain more support from a significant other

In this item,safety is the first concern.The mother needs education about the dangers of shaking the baby.Abusive head trauma (AHT),formerly known as shaken-baby syndrome,is a form of child abuse that causes severe brain injury.However,in this item it appears that the mother is open and honest with her concern and does not know the dangers of shaking the baby.Further assessment and questioning are indicated prior to reporting child abuse.Additionally,it is most important to first teach the mother the dangers of shaking the baby; then,the nurse can proceed with offering suggestions on managing a crying baby.