Shaken baby syndrome educational doll

Abstract

A doll for educating caregivers about Shaken Baby Syndrome comprises a head portion, a body, and may comprise transparent skin. The head portion may have a simulated brain disposed therein. The head portion is floppably connected to the body. The doll may further comprise a first chamber and a second chamber containing simulated blood, the simulated blood being visible in the first chamber after acceleration experienced during a shaking episode, but otherwise being concealed from view in the second chamber. A plurality of acceleration sensors may be disposed within the doll to detect acceleration experienced during a shaking episode, and the plurality of acceleration sensors may trigger warnings to the caregiver when portions of the doll experience acceleration sufficient to endanger an infant.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A doll, comprising: 
 a head portion floppably connected to a body; and    an acceleration sensor connected with the doll and triggering a warning when the doll is shaken.    
     
     
         2 . The doll of  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration sensor is connected with the head portion of the doll.  
     
     
         3 . The doll of  claim 1 , wherein the acceleration sensor is connected with the body of the doll.  
     
     
         4 . The doll of  claim 1 , wherein the warning comprises elements selected from the set consisting of: 
 visual;    audio; and    tactile.    
     
     
         5 . The doll of  claim 1 , wherein the warning comprises elements selected from the set consisting of: 
 light;    sound; and    vibration.    
     
     
         6 . The doll of  claim 1 , wherein the warning comprises text.  
     
     
         7 . The doll of  claim 6 , wherein the text indicates an injury caused when the doll is shaken.  
     
     
         8 . The doll of  claim 1 , wherein the head portion encompasses a simulated brain.  
     
     
         9 . The doll of  claim 8 , wherein at least part of the head portion is at least partially transparent and reveals at least a portion of the simulated brain.  
     
     
         10 . The doll of  claim 9 , wherein the warning includes a visual element emanating from the simulated brain.  
     
     
         11 . The doll of  claim 10 , wherein the visual element emanating from the simulated brain emanates from an area of the simulated brain injured when the doll is shaken.  
     
     
         12 . The doll of  claim 11 , wherein the visual element emanating from the simulated brain includes text indicating an injury caused when the doll is shaken.  
     
     
         13 . The doll of  claim 12 , wherein the text indicating an injury caused when the doll is shaken identifies a function of a portion of a human brain in a corresponding position to the area of the simulated brain injured when the doll is shaken, such that a user can identify potential mental impairment that can result when an infant is shaken.  
     
     
         14 . The doll of  claim 11 , wherein the visual element emanating from the simulated brain comprises light.  
     
     
         15 . The doll of  claim 14 , wherein the light is generated at least in part by a Liquid Crystal Display.  
     
     
         16 . The doll of  claim 14 , wherein the light is generated at least in part by a Light Emitting Diode.  
     
     
         17 . The doll of  claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the light is transmitted at least partially through a fiber optic cable.  
     
     
         18 . The doll of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a label for the acceleration sensor, the label identifying a function of a portion of an infant's anatomy in a corresponding position to the acceleration sensor, such that a user can identify potential physiological consequences to an infant when the doll is shaken.    
     
     
         19 . A doll, comprising: 
 first and second chambers disposed within the doll, at least a portion of the first chamber being at least partially transparent and disposed to permit viewing of the contents of the first chamber; and    the second chamber containing simulated blood and being in fluid communication with the first chamber through one or more acceleration-sensitive connections, the one or more acceleration-sensitive connections preventing the simulated blood from passing from the second chamber to the first chamber absent acceleration exceeding a pre-selected threshold.    
     
     
         20 . The doll of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 first and second chambers disposed within the doll, at least a portion of the first chamber being at least partially transparent and disposed to permit viewing of the contents of the first chamber; and    the second chamber containing simulated blood and being in fluid communication with the first chamber through one or more acceleration-sensitive connections, the one or more acceleration-sensitive connections preventing the simulated blood from passing from the second chamber to the first chamber absent acceleration exceeding a pre-selected threshold.    
     
     
         21 . The doll of  claim 19 , further comprising a label for the first chamber, the label identifying a function of a portion of an infant's anatomy in a corresponding position to the first chamber, such that a user can identify potential effects of internal bleeding that can result to an infant when the doll is shaken.  
     
     
         22 . A doll, comprising: 
 a head portion floppably connected to a body;    a plurality of acceleration sensors disposed among the head portion and the body, each of the plurality of acceleration sensors having an output circuit upon which an output signal is placed when the doll is shaken, each output signal being indicative of the magnitude of acceleration experienced by each acceleration sensor;    a CPU having the output circuits from the plurality of acceleration sensors as input, the CPU being programmed with a set of injury criteria that correlate accelerations experienced by portions of human anatomy positioned correspondingly to the plurality of acceleration sensors with injury thereto, the CPU being further programmed to output warning signals corresponding to the output signals of the plurality of acceleration sensors;    a plurality of warning devices operatively connected to the CPU, the plurality of warning devices providing warnings corresponding to the warning signals output by the CPU.    
     
     
         23 . The doll of  claim 22 , further comprising a simulated brain and nervous system disposed within the head portion and the body, and a transparent skin through which the simulated brain and the nervous system are visible.  
     
     
         24 . The doll of  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 first and second chambers disposed within the doll, at least a portion of the first chamber being at least partially transparent and disposed to permit viewing of the contents of the first chamber; and    the second chamber containing simulated blood and being in fluid communication with the first chamber through one or more CPU-controlled valves, the one or more CPU-controlled valves preventing the simulated blood from passing from the second chamber to the first chamber absent a warning signal output by the CPU to the one or more CPU-controlled valves.    
     
     
         25 . A doll, comprising: 
 a head portion floppably connected to a body; and    simulated blood that visibly appears in an area of the doll that has experienced acceleration sufficient to cause internal bleeding to a corresponding area of an infant's anatomy.    
     
     
         26 . The doll of  claim 25 , wherein the simulated blood comprises an electronic display.  
     
     
         27 . The doll of  claim 25 , wherein the simulated blood comprises a liquid crystal display.  
     
     
         28 . A doll, comprising: 
 head means floppably connected to body means; and    acceleration sensing means connected with the doll and triggering warning means when the doll is shaken.    
     
     
         29 . A method of learning about Shaken Baby Syndrome, the method comprising: 
 shaking a doll, the doll comprising: 
 a head portion floppably connected to a body; and  
 an acceleration sensor connected with the doll and triggering a warning when the doll is shaken; and  
   causing the acceleration sensor connected with the doll to trigger the warning.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising the step of: 
 evaluating the warning to determine potential physiological effects of corresponding shaking of an infant.    
     
     
         31 . Performing the steps of the method of  claim 29  in furtherance of a legal proceeding.