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Later problems for babies who cry excessively

Babies who continue to cry excessively for no obvious reason can go on to have difficulties in childhood, according to a new study.

The study, by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports prior UK research and says that excessive, uncontrolled crying that persisted beyond three months of age was linked with behavioural problems and lower IQ at the age of five. However, experts have stressed that most crying is normal and parents should not be unduly concerned.

The researchers looked at 327 babies and their parents and assessed the babies' crying patterns at 6 and 13 weeks of age. They also determined whether or not the crying could be due to something simple such as colic. They then reassessed the children at the age of five, looking particularly at their intelligence, motor abilities and behaviour.

They found that children who had continued to cry beyond three months of age as infants, which was not due to colic, had IQs nine points lower than the other children studied, as well as poorer fine motor abilities, hyperactivity and discipline problems in childhood.

In 2002, a similar study was conducted in the UK, headed by Professor Dieter Wolke at Bristol University. They found that excessive criers were 14 times more likely to develop Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Professor Wolke said, "This confirms what we found. Now there really is more certainty there is really something going on."

He added, "With ADHD you can't regulate your attention. You can't concentrate, for example. The same thing is happening with crying.

"With these babies, it may be that their brains are built in a way that they have problems regulating themselves. They don't learn to calm themselves down, even with the best parenting."

He pointed out that most crying in babies was completely normal, and that this excessive crying linked to later problems occurred in only about 2-5% of cases, adding that it might now be possible to pick up ADHD as early as six months and intervene.

"These babies, because they are under-regulated, they need incredibly regular routines. Some babies you can take to noisy parties and they will sleep and won't cry. But these babies, any change to their routine and they can't cope.

"A very strict, regulated parenting pattern but which is warm and loving seems to reduce the amount of crying. What we really need now is a good randomised controlled trial on a large scale to look long term whether intervention has an effect."

Heather Welford from the National Childbirth Trust said, "It's very wearing to be looking after a baby who cries a lot, who is not giving you the positive feedback that you need as a parent to let you know that you can tune in to your baby and reassure them."

She also emphasised that in most babies, crying was normal and stopped by about three months and that support was available for parents.

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