By SHARON MONTAGUE

Salina Journal

A Salina child care provider whose license was suspended by the state last week was arrested Monday in connection with injuries suffered by an 8-month-old boy.

Tiffany L. Axelson, 24, 107 Hays Court, made her first appearance Monday in Saline County District Court on charges of child abuse and aggravated battery. She was booked into the Saline County Jail later Monday, then released on bond.

Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield said someone called emergency crews about 4 p.m. April 28 to report that a boy in Axelson's care was unresponsive, but breathing. The child is not Axelson's, he said.

The boy, who was not identified, was taken by ambulance to Salina Regional Health Center, where he suffered seizures. He was flown from Salina to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He since has been released from the hospital, Mansfield said.

Mansfield said the boy suffered head injuries that were consistent with being shaken. He did not know whether the baby will suffer any lasting effects from the injuries.

20 percent of cases fatal

According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, violently shaking a baby can cause symptoms ranging from irritability, lethargy, tremors and vomiting to seizures, coma and death. The neurological symptoms are due to destruction of brain cells, lack of oxygen to brain cells and swelling of the brain.

The center estimates that 20 percent of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are fatal within the first few days after injury. The majority of survivors are left with handicaps ranging from learning disorders and behavioral changes to mental or developmental retardation, paralysis or blindness.

Joe Blubaugh, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said Axelson has been licensed as a registered day care provider since Aug. 14, 2005. She was registered to care for a maximum of six children at a time.

Blubaugh said registered child care providers are not subject to state inspection unless a complaint is filed. He said officials had not received any complaints before May 6. On that day, KDHE officials were notified that the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services was investigating an incident of child abuse that allegedly occurred in Axelson's home on April 28.

KDHE suspended Axelson's certificate of registration effective May 7, finding that the suspension was "necessary to protect children in the Registrant's care from physical abuse or a substantial threat to their health or safety."

Axelson did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment.

Axelson has 15 days to request a hearing on the emergency suspension.

nReporter Sharon Montague can be reached at 822-1411 or by e-mail at smontague@salina.com.

Deputy Police Chief Carson Mansfield said someone called emergency crews about 4 p.m. April 28 to report that a boy in Axelson's care was unresponsive, but breathing. The child is not Axelson's, he said.

The boy, who was not identified, was taken by ambulance to Salina Regional Health Center, where he suffered seizures. He was flown from Salina to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita. He since has been released from the hospital, Mansfield said.

Mansfield said the boy suffered head injuries that were consistent with being shaken. He did not know whether the baby will suffer any lasting effects from the injuries.

20 percent of cases fatal

According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, violently shaking a baby can cause symptoms ranging from irritability, lethargy, tremors and vomiting to seizures, coma and death. The neurological symptoms are due to destruction of brain cells, lack of oxygen to brain cells and swelling of the brain.

The center estimates that 20 percent of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are fatal within the first few days after injury. The majority of survivors are left with handicaps ranging from learning disorders and behavioral changes to mental or developmental retardation, paralysis or blindness.

Joe Blubaugh, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said Axelson has been licensed as a registered day care provider since Aug. 14, 2005. She was registered to care for a maximum of six children at a time.

Blubaugh said registered child care providers are not subject to state inspection unless a complaint is filed. He said officials had not received any complaints before May 6. On that day, KDHE officials were notified that the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services was investigating an incident of child abuse that allegedly occurred in Axelson's home on April 28.

KDHE suspended Axelson's certificate of registration effective May 7, finding that the suspension was "necessary to protect children in the Registrant's care from physical abuse or a substantial threat to their health or safety."

Axelson did not return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment.

Axelson has 15 days to request a hearing on the emergency suspension.

nReporter Sharon Montague can be reached at 822-1411 or by e-mail at smontague@salina.com.