Northern Health is bringing back its Period of PURPLE Crying program after pausing it due to the COVID pandemic. Up until Feb. 28, 2025, new parents and caregivers of newborns and two-month-olds in the Northern Health region will receive a handmade purple knitted or crocheted hat.
Parents and caregivers will also be provided with education and resources about preventing head injuries due to shaking infants. The PURPLE program is a universally delivered program to all parents of newborns in B.C. The goal of the cap campaign, called CLICK for Babies is to raise awareness about PURPLE crying.
PURPLE crying is a phase of infant development when a baby cries for long periods. It starts around two-weeks-old and peaks around two months old before decreasing. Northern Health said it can be frustrating and overwhelming for parents but it is a normal phase of development.
“Inconsolable infant crying is the most common trigger for shaking a baby and other forms of infant abuse,” said Dr. Ian Pike in a news release. Pike is the director of Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome BC (PSBSBC) at BC Children’s Hospital, the program that administers and evaluates the PURPLE program across the province.
Since 2009, Northern Health medical staff have taught new parents inconsolable crying can be normal and gives them strategies to cope with it. They provide tips to soothe babies and talking points for additional caregivers such as grandparents on the dangers of shaking infants.
“PURPLE is an important public health injury prevention program and is associated with a significant reduction in traumatic head injury due to child maltreatment in British Columbia,” said Pike. The CLICK campaign was paused in the province in 2020 due to restrictions implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Northern Health received more than 1,250 caps from PSBSBC to restart the CLICK campaign in Northern Health for 2025.
Northern Health will be inviting knitters, crocheters and crafters to make baby caps and boots and will be announcing more information on that at a later date.
“We’re excited to re-boot CLICK in NH. It’s a warm-hearted way to talk about a very difficult topic with families,” said Randi Leanne Parsons, Northern Health regional nursing lead for maternal infant health and project co-lead. “Families need support from their communities. CLICK will help us to start conversations in the wider Northern BC community about soothing infant crying and keeping them safe from harm.”
People can learn more by visiting dontshake.ca.