Excessive Crying Beyond 3 Months May Herald Other Features of Multiple Regulatory Problems

Abstract

Persistence of crying beyond the first 6 months heralded a higher prevalence of eating or sleeping difficulties in children with excessive crying than in children without excessive crying. These parents should be offered support and counseling over a broader spectrum of features related to multiple regulatory problems.

Crying and Feeding Problems in Infancy and Cognitive Outcome in Preschool Children Born at Risk: A Prospective Population Study

“…These rates are consistent with those of other studies (e.g., 15,33,35 ). Most notably, our results indicate that regulatory problems maintained The unadjusted correlations of regulatory problems with the mental and cognitive measures 371 at 20 or 56 months of age (.08 to .14, see 110 and thus impact cognition.…”

“…11,12 The prevalence rates for regulatory problems during infancy and early childhood vary and are partly dependent on the underlying definition. 13,14 Persistent excessive crying (i.e., beyond the colic period or > 3 months of age) has been reported in 5-10% of infants, [15][16][17] while the prevalence of sleeping problems in the first years of life varies between 10% and 46%. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Feeding and eating difficulties are found in 3-10% when strict clinical criteria are applied and up to 41% in parent report studies.…”

Regulatory Problems in Very Preterm and Full-Term Infants Over the First 18 Months

“…1,2 These are transient in the majority of cases. 3 Early RPs may be associated with trajectories of dysregulation into childhood 4 and subsequent cognitive, behavior and attention problems, [5][6][7][8][9][10][11] especially if crying or feeding problems persist beyond the age of 3 to 4 months.…”

“…3 Early RPs may be associated with trajectories of dysregulation into childhood 4 and subsequent cognitive, behavior and attention problems, [5][6][7][8][9][10][11] especially if crying or feeding problems persist beyond the age of 3 to 4 months. [1][2][3]6,[12][13][14] In addition, multiple RPs, i.e. having two or three single RPs at the same time, increases the likelihood of later behavior problems.…”

Early Regulatory Problems in Infancy and Psychopathological Symptoms at 24 Months: A Longitudinal Study in a High-risk Sample

“…As for the prevalence of excessive crying in the first three months, frequencies between 5 and 19% were determined [6]. Persistence of crying beyond the third month was reported in 5.8% of the cases and beyond the sixth month in 2.5% of them [7]. An estimated 5% of all excessive crying cases have organic causes, such as gastrointestinal problems (gastrointestinal reflux, colic), atopy or neuropediatric disorders [5].…”