There has been an uproar surrounding the “Baby Shaker” application on the new Apple iPhone and rightfully so. The 99 cent application, which was removed from Apple’s online store amid the controversy, allowed users to virtually shake a crying baby into silence – and death.

Unfortunately for Apple, shaking babies is no joking matter. In fact, Shaken Baby Syndrome affects more than 1,000 babies each year in the United States and is the result of violent shaking, usually by an exasperated parent or caregiver. Infants are particularly vulnerable to shaking, and this kind of violence can cause severe brain damage, cerebral palsy symptoms and other lifelong disabilities.

Child abuse is a matter that should always be taken seriously, and though Apple has offered an apology for the application, we can only hope that the company has also learned an important lesson.

Tags: "brain damage" "Cerebral Palsy Symptoms" Disability "Shaken Baby Syndrome"