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Aim: To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of parents of infants with colic and on healthcare use., Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Data of 64 parents of infants with colic prepandemic and 43 parents of infants with colic during the pandemic were analysed using validated questionnaires on parental stress, depression and anxiety. Additionally, we evaluated the number of outpatient clinic visits and admission rates pre- and during the pandemic by collecting data on the diagnosis treatment combination 'excessive crying' from electronic patient files in three secondary hospitals in the Netherlands., Results: Mothers in the pandemic group reported significantly higher levels of depression than mothers in the prepandemic group (12.3 ± 7.0 and 8.8 ± 5.2; p = 0.04). Moreover, mothers showed a trend towards higher stress levels during the pandemic (29.6 ± 9.6 and 25.2 ± 8.1; p = 0.06). During the pandemic, admission numbers of infants with colic compared to prepandemic data increased with 34% (146 vs. 196)., Conclusion: Mothers of infants with colic reported significantly more feelings of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the pandemic was associated with increased healthcare use amongst infants with colic. With the continuing pandemic, we recommend active perinatal support for this vulnerable population., (© 2022 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To assess whether infants with colic that resolved before 6 months of age have poorer medium-term outcomes than infants without colic., Study Design: Comparative study of 2 prospective, community-based cohorts of children aged 2-3 years in Melbourne, Australia: children from the Baby Biotics study, with previously diagnosed Wessel criteria of colic without problem crying at 6 months (True Colic Cohort), vs children from the Baby Business trial, without problem crying at 1, 4, and 6 months (No Colic Cohort). Caregiver report of child internalizing and externalizing behaviors (primary outcome), temperament, regulatory (crying/sleeping/feeding) problems, and family functioning at child age 2-3 years was collected. We conducted regression analyses of mean differences/ORs adjusted for child sex, age, social disadvantage, parental education, and maternal mental health., Results: In total, 74% of the original Baby Biotics (n = 124) sample and 75% of the Baby Business (n = 503) sample completed questionnaires. In adjusted analyses, there were no significant differences between the True Colic Cohort (n = 99) and No Colic Cohort (n = 182) in internalizing behavior problems (adjusted mean difference 0.73; 95% CI -3.96 to 5.43, P = .76) or externalizing behavior problems (adjusted mean difference -1.53; 95% CI -6.02 to 2.97, P = .51). There were no statistically significant differences between groups in temperament, parental perception of regulatory problems, or family functioning., Conclusions: Infants with colic whose crying self-resolves do not experience adverse effects regarding child behavior, regulatory abilities, temperament, or family functioning in the medium term. Parents and clinicians can be reassured that infant crying as the result of colic, and related stress, is short-lived and will likely resolve., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Maternal psychological factors like depression, anxiety and stress have been associated with infant fussiness or colic. However, little research exists on whether positive factors such as social support and the happiness of the mother-partner relationship are associated with lower rates of infant fussiness or colic., Objectives: We investigated the association between infant colic and three types of maternal support: general maternal social support (during pregnancy and post partum), the happiness of the mother-partner relationship (during pregnancy and post partum) and partner involvement in caring for the newborn., Methods: Participants were 3006 women in the First Baby Study, a prospective study of the effect of mode of first delivery on subsequent childbearing. Women were interviewed by telephone during pregnancy and 1 month after first childbirth and asked about social support and if their baby had a variety of problems since birth, including 'Colic - crying or fussiness three or more hours a day'. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to model the association between maternal support and infant colic, controlling for confounders, including maternal race or ethnicity, insurance, marital status, smoking, mode of delivery, maternal post-partum depression, breastfeeding, other neonatal illnesses and newborn gestational age., Results: Infant colic was reported by 11.6% of new mothers. High general maternal social support (in comparison with low), measured during pregnancy, was associated with lower reported infant colic (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.40-0.75) and measured post partum (AOR, 0.51, 95% CI, 0.39-0.67); high relationship happiness (in comparison with low), measured during pregnancy (AOR, 0.71, 95% CI, 0.54-0.93), and measured post partum (AOR, 0.22, 95% CI, 0.12-0.40); and high partner involvement with newborn care (in comparison with low) (AOR, 0.60, 95% CI, 0.44-0.81)., Conclusion: Higher levels of maternal social support during pregnancy and post partum are associated with lower rates of maternal reported infant colic., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The term 'infant colic' has been used to refer both to 'prolonged' infant crying (a measure of crying) and to parents'concern thatexcessive'crying is a sign that something is wrong with their baby. There is growing evidence that the terms need to be distinguished, so that the traditional focus on the crying is balanced by an equal focus on the impact of the crying on parents. The Surviving Crying study is a first step towards developing and evaluating routine NHS services to support parents who are worried about their baby's excessive crying. This report summarises the study's overall aims and methods and describes the first stage, designed to develop this parental support package. The package comprises a website, printed materials for parents who do not use the internet and a CBT-based programme manual for delivering direct one-to-one or small-group support sessions to parents. Stage two of the study, designed to provide an initial evaluation of the package and its suitability for use in the NHS, is underway. An email address exists for practitioners and researchers who wish to be kept informed.

The devastating and for the most part irremediable consequences for an infant, his or her family, and society in cases of abusive head trauma have spurred research into ways of preventing it. In the last four or five decades, increasing interest in infant crying and its clinical manifestation of colic has led to a reconceptualization of crying in early infancy, such that most of the characteristics of colic can be understood as manifestations of the crying typical of normal infants. This includes an early increase and then decrease in the amount of crying, the unexpected and unpredictable appearance of prolonged crying bouts, and the presence of inconsolable crying that occurs in the early months of life. When these concepts are merged with anecdotal clinical experiences, perpetrator confessions and epidemiological evidence of abusive head trauma, it is clear that these crying characteristics--and caregiver responses--are the predominant, and potentially modifiable, risk factors for abusive head trauma. This unfortunate but understandable relationship between early crying, shaking and abuse has opened windows of opportunity for primary, universal prevention efforts that are appropriate for--and support--all parents and may be able to prevent at least some of these tragic cases.

Background: Infants' continuous crying is a challenge both for the child and the principal caregiver. However, the links between infants' sleep, crying and cortisol secretion and mothers' well-being and sleep have been scarcely investigated. The aim of the present study was therefore to examine the link between cortisol secretion, crying and sleep of infants characterized by infantile colic (IC) and mothers' psychological well-being and own sleep., Methods: Mothers of 24 infants characterized by IC (mean age = 8 weeks, SD = 1.5 weeks) completed a series of questionnaires regarding the infant's crying and sleeping patterns. Infants' sleep was objectively assessed with actigraphs. Cortisol secretion was measured by means of saliva samples in the mornings after waking. After 4 weeks, infants were assessed once again. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing their psychological well-being (depressive symptoms, family strain) and sleep., Results: Mothers' psychological well-being and sleep was greatly predicted by infants' morning saliva cortisol levels, sleep disruptions and crying intensity, whereas infants' crying duration and volume had low predictive value., Conclusions: Mothers with infants characterized by IC are at increased risk for reporting impaired sleep, developing depressive symptoms and reporting higher family strain. Most importantly, this risk seems to be greater if their infants' sleep is fragmented.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the type and quality of information on infantile colic that a parent might access on the World Wide Web., Methods: Two checklists were used to evaluate the quality indicators of 24 Web sites and the colic-specific content., Results: Fifteen health information Web sites met more of the quality parameters than the nine commercial sites. Eight Web sites included information about colic and infant abuse, with six being health information sites., Discussion: The colic-specific content on 24 Web sites reflected current issues and controversies; however, the completeness of the information in light of current evidence varied among the Web sites. Strategies to avoid complications of parental stress or infant abuse were not commonly found on the Web sites. Pediatric professionals must guide parents to reliable colic resources that also include emotional support and understanding of infant crying. A best evidence guideline for the United States would eliminate confusion and uncertainty about which colic therapies are safe and effective for parents and professionals., (Copyright © 2013 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to describe mothers' experiences of parenting an irritable infant. Although "colic" is regarded as a "self-limiting" condition that usually disappears by 3 to 4 months of age, the entire family is affected by the infant's crying; no definitive cause or cure has been identified., Sample and Setting: Twelve middle-class married mothers (mean age=27.6 years) of irritable infants were interviewed. The women responded to open-ended questions, beginning with a description of the "typical day" with the infant. All interviews were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim, and entered into the AtlasTi qualitative analysis program. Grounded theory methods were used to analyze the data. Transcripts were read repeatedly to verify coding and emerging concepts., Results: The basic social psychological problem was the loss of the perceived baby and competence as a mother. The psychosocial process was the search for the baby and sense of self as mother. Processes involved cycles of hope and despair and trial and error as mothers became more isolated., Discussion: Implications for practitioners include support and listening to mothers during this difficult period., (Copyright © 2011 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The persistent and unexplained crying of newborns, attributed to colic, is a frequent problem in paediatrics. Usually considered harmless, it can however have consequences on the baby's behaviour and emotional regulation. Moreover, mothers often misinterpret the crying. Faced with the maternal anxiety which is often associated, treatment must be multifocal.

Aim: To study if infant crying is associated with maternal postnatal depression., Methods: Data from 1015 mothers and their children participating in a prospective European multicentre study were analysed. Infantile colic and prolonged crying were defined as excessive crying as reported by the mothers 2 and 6 months after delivery, and at the same time the mothers completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)., Results: In cross-sectional analyses, infant crying was associated with high EPDS scores both 2 (OR: 4.4; 95% CI: 2.4-8.2) and 6 months postpartum (OR: 10.8; 95% CI: 4.3-26.9). More than one-third of the others of infants with prolonged crying had high EPDS scores 6 months postpartum. Longitudinal analyses showed that mothers of infants with colic had increased odds of having high EPDS scores 6 months after delivery even if crying had resolved (OR: 3.7; 95% CI: 1.4-10.1)., Conclusion: Both infantile colic and prolonged crying were associated with high maternal depression scores. Most noteworthy, infantile colic at 2 months of age was associated with high maternal depression scores 4 months later.

Purpose: To elucidate the experience of fathers living with a colicky infant., Study Design and Methods: Interpretive phenomenology using in-depth interviews with 10 fathers of colicky infants. Reiterative interview reading, repeated meaning unit sorting, going back to the literature, and discussions gave way to emerging themes., Findings: The overall experience is one of "falling into and arising from the crying abyss together as a family." Four themes emerged: (a) falling in, (b) hitting bottom, (c) weaving strands to make a rope, and (d) climbing out., Clinical Implications: From their stories, fathers provide insight useful to nurses assisting families of colicky infants through a very difficult time. Nurses should talk to fathers directly about the possibility of colic, and teach both parents what it is, how long it usually lasts, and what can be done about it. Anticipatory guidance as well as discussion about colic during newborn health visits can help parents to vocalize their feelings, and learn what actions to take when the stress of colic becomes overwhelming.

The objective of this study is to determine whether advice in parenting magazines reflects current evidence-based understanding of early infant crying and colic, where (1) "colic" is the upper end of a spectrum of crying behavior reflective of normal infant development, and (2) physical abuse--in particular, shaken baby syndrome (SBS)--is a serious medical consequence of early crying. All available issues of 11 popular Canadian parenting magazines published between January 2000 and December 2004 were hand-searched and systematically reviewed. Fifty-one articles were found with information on: (1) causes of, (2) responses to, and/or (3) mention of SBS or abuse as a consequence of crying and/or colic. There were 105 specific causes suggested, but almost no agreement concerning the causes of crying and colic. Similarly, there were 231 specific responses to crying and colic mentioned, but little agreement among the suggested responses. For both crying and colic together, the consequence of abuse was mentioned only 7 times, and SBS only twice. Making the advice literature a truly helpful vehicle for parents concerning normal behavioral development and its consequences for their new infant seems to be a significant challenge. Arguably, this is an important shared responsibility of physicians, researchers, and journalists.

Context: Infant crying can cause parental distress, and colic is associated with low maternal self-efficacy and heightened risk for depression. Breastfeeding is recognized as an effective method of calming infants, but the relationship of colic and the use of breastfeeding to remedy infant crying have not been tested for any effects on breastfeeding duration., Objective: To evaluate the effects of infant colic (colic analysis) and breastfeeding as a method of infant calming (calming analysis) on breastfeeding duration., Design: The authors followed 700 healthy breastfeeding mother-baby dyads from birth to 1 year. Maternal interviews were conducted postpartum, and at 2, 5, 10, 16, 24, 38, and 52 weeks to ascertain demographic factors, infant crying patterns, comforting practices, physician-diagnosed colic, and breastfeeding behaviors. Cox survival analyses were used to evaluate the independent effects of: (a) physician diagnosed colic; and (b) breastfeeding as a comforting practice on breastfeeding duration. Data from all 700 breastfeeding dyads were used in the colic analyses. In the calming analyses, to assure that breastfeeding was appropriately established, data were used from the 617 couplets that had breastfed for at least 2 weeks. Using a stepwise process, models, adjusted for typical predictors of breastfeeding duration, were developed for exclusive, full and partial breastfeeding duration. Variables of interest (i.e., colic diagnosis, breastfeeding for comfort) were then forced into the baseline models to determine any independent effects., Results: In the first 16 weeks, parents found that holding (87%), breastfeeding (82%), walking (67%), and rocking (63%) were highly effective calming practices. Mothers who rated breastfeeding as highly effective had a higher frequency of breastfeeding at all contacts (p < 0.05). In adjusted analyses the use of breastfeeding to comfort infants was a significant predictor of longer partial (overall) ([hazard ratio] HR = 0.6, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.9; p = 0.02) but not exclusive or full breastfeeding duration. By 6 months, 44 mothers (6.3%) reported a diagnosis of colic. Mothers of infants with a diagnosis of colic were less likely to report breastfeeding as effective method of infant comforting (p = 0.03). In adjusted analyses the authors found that a diagnosis of colic predicted shorter full breastfeeding duration (HR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.2; p = 0.001) but not exclusive or partial duration., Conclusions: Breastfeeding to comfort a crying infant is a strong predictor of partial (overall) duration and is rated as a highly effective calming method by parents. These data suggest that parents may benefit from education about normal infant crying patterns and effective methods of infant comforting, including breastfeeding. However, mothers of infants diagnosed with colic are at risk for shortened duration of full breastfeeding. Although the reasons for this are unclear, it may be helpful to specifically address the subject of colic and infant feeding and encourage mothers to fully breastfeed for the recommended 6 months.

Background: Long term studies of cognitive development and colic have not differentiated between typical colic and prolonged crying., Objective: To evaluate whether colic and excessive crying that persists beyond 3 months is associated with adverse cognitive development., Design: Prospective cohort study. A sample of 561 women was enrolled in the second trimester of pregnancy. Colic and prolonged crying were based on crying behaviour assessed at 6 and 13 weeks. Children's intelligence, motor abilities, and behaviour were measured at 5 years (n = 327). Known risk factors for cognitive impairment were ascertained prenatally, after birth, at 6 and 13 weeks, at 6, 9, and 13 months, and at 5 years of age., Results: Children with prolonged crying (but not those with colic only) had an adjusted mean IQ that was 9 points lower than the control group. Their performance and verbal IQ scores were 9.2 and 6.7 points lower than the control group, respectively. The prolonged crying group also had significantly poorer fine motor abilities compared with the control group. Colic had no effect on cognitive development., Conclusions: Excessive, uncontrolled crying that persists beyond 3 months of age in infants without other signs of neurological damage may be a marker for cognitive deficits during childhood. Such infants need to be examined and followed up more intensively.

Unexplained crying in infants aged 1 to 3 months is a common concern for Western parents and health services. This study examined the hypothesis that the crying is due to high infant responsivity, and provides evidence about the types of stimulation that trigger crying in infants who present with high responsivity. The sample included 93 eight-day-old infants from a community sample (47 females, 46 males; mean birthweight 3457g; mean gestation 39.4 weeks; mean Apgar scores 8.28 at 1 minute and 9.59 at 5 minutes). Infants were tested for their response to two standard, mildly challenging, procedures: a neurobehavioural test involving undressing, putting down, and handling, and the Guthrie test, involving a painful heel prick to obtain a blood sample. The infants' crying over 24 hours was recorded in parental diaries. Newborn infants who exhibited high responsivity during the neurobehavioural assessment cried, rather than fussed, the most at home. High responsivity during the neurobehavioural assessment also predicted those infants who cried a lot and met a definition of 'colic' at home. The findings support the responsivity hypothesis and show that infants with high responsivity are upset by undressing, putting down, and sustained handling. Explanations for this and implications for the management of infant crying and colic are discussed.

Background: Colic is widely believed to remit by 3 months of age, with little lasting effect on the infant or the family., Objectives: To determine the prevalence of colic at 3 months and the proportion of cases of colic (identified at 6 weeks) that remitted by 3 months; to identify the factors predictive of colic's remission; and to explore the potential lasting effects of colic on maternal mental health., Design: Prospective cohort study of 856 mother-infant dyads. Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to mothers at 1 and 6 weeks and 3 and 6 months post partum. Standardized instruments were incorporated into the first and last questionnaires to assess maternal anxiety, postnatal depression, and social support. At 6 weeks and at 3 months, mothers completed the Barr diary and/or the Ames Cry Score., Results: Data from 547 dyads were available for analysis. The prevalence of colic at 3 months was 6.4%. More than 85% of cases of colic had remitted by 3 months of age. These infants were more likely to be female, whereas the mothers of these infants were more likely to have received pain relief during labor/delivery and to have been employed during pregnancy. Reductions in scores for trait anxiety and postnatal depression, although smaller for mothers whose infants were colicky at 6 weeks of age, were not significantly different from those of mothers whose infants were never colicky., Conclusion: This study provides support for the belief that, in most cases, colic is self-limiting and does not result in lasting effects to maternal mental health.

Method: We studied mother-infant, father-infant and mother-father interaction in 32 families with an excessively crying infant and in 30 control families. The group with excessive criers was divided further into subgroups of severe colic (n=13) and moderate colic (n=19). The three dyads of the family were video-recorded when the infants were an average of 5 weeks old. The assessment was carried out during the infant's feeding, nappy change and discussion between the parents. During the assessment, only four infants were crying. The Parent Child Early Relational Assessment Scale and the Beavers Scale were used., Results: The main findings suggest that both parents of colicky infants had less optimal parent-child interaction compared with the control parents. The problems in the interaction were most pronounced between the fathers and infants in the severe colic group. The father-infant interaction was less optimal in 13 items of 65 (20%) in the severe colic group, in one item of 65 (2%) in the moderate colic group and in none of the items in the control group. The mother-infant interaction was less optimal in six items out of 65 (9%) in the severe colic group, in three items out of 65 (5%) in the moderate colic, and in none of the items in the control group. Severely colicky infants were also less competent in interacting with their parents. In addition, interaction between the parents was more often dysfunctional in the severe colic group., Conclusions: The problems in early family interaction may threaten the well-being of families with excessively crying infants and they therefore deserve special attention from the health care professionals.

Objective: To investigate whether persistent infant crying is associated with an increased risk for externalizing behavior problems in childhood., Methods: Sixty-four infants who were referred for persistent crying in infancy (PC; mean age: 3.8 +/- 1.3 months) were reassessed at 8 to 10 years of age and compared with 64 classroom controls (CC). The major outcome measure was pervasive hyperactivity or conduct problems defined as parent, child, and teacher ratings that across informants were within the borderline/clinical range according to the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Ratings of other behavior problems, parent ratings of temperament, and teacher assessment of academic achievement were also obtained., Results: Ten (18.9%) of 53 PC had pervasive hyperactivity problems (child, parent, and teacher reported) compared with 1 (18.9%) of 62 CC (odds ratio: 14.19 [1.75-114.96]). Parents (29 [45.3%] of 64 vs 11 [17.2%] of 64; 4.00 [1.77-9.01]) and children (30 [46.9%] of 64 vs 17 [26.6%] of 64; 2.44 [1.16-5.12]) but not the teachers reported more conduct problems. Parents of PC rated the temperament of their children to be more negative in emotionality (PC mean: 3.0 +/- 1.0; CC: 2.4 +/- 1.0; effect size: 0.6) and difficult-demanding (PC mean: 5.2 +/- 1.3; CC: 6.3 +/- 0.9; effect size: 1.0). Academic achievement was reported by teachers to be significantly lower for PC than CC, in particular for those children with pervasive hyperactivity problems., Conclusions: Infants who are referred for PC problems and associated sleeping or feeding problems are at increased risk for hyperactivity problems and academic difficulties in childhood.

Objective: To assess the impact of varying definitions of excessive crying and infantile colic on prevalence estimates and to assess to what extent these definitions comprise the same children., Methods: Parents of 3345 infants aged 1, 3, and 6 months (response: 96.5%) were interviewed on the crying behavior of their infant in a Dutch cross-sectional national population-based study. We computed the prevalence of excessive crying according to 10 published definitions regarding parent-reported duration of infant crying and the parents' experience. We measured concordance between pairs of definitions by Cohen's kappa (agreement adjusted for chance agreement)., Results: Overall prevalence rates of excessive crying varied strongly between definitions, from 1.5% to 11.9%. They were always highest in 1-month-old infants. Concordance between definitions was only excellent (kappa > 0.75) if they were closely related, such as crying for >3 hours/day for >3 days/week for the preceding 2 or 3 weeks. Concordance between less closely related definitions was much weaker. Concordance between definitions that were based on duration and on parental experience was mostly poor (kappa: 0.17-0.53 for infants aged 1 and 3 months)., Conclusions: Different definitions of excessive crying lead to the inclusion of very dissimilar groups of infants. We recommend presenting study results using clearly described definitions, preferably concerning both duration of crying and parental distress. This may improve the comparability of studies on the cause and treatment of excessive infant crying. The impact of the method of data collection on this comparability needs additional study.colic, preventive child health care, prevention, infancy.

The incidence of infantile colic seems to be diminishing, but 10 per cent of infants are still affected. Several different conditions loom under the umbrella of infantile colic--the most serious of which implies a disturbed parent-infant relationship. The interpretation of infant behaviour is dependent on the cultural context, and thus a "difficult" infant can be apprehended as full of "vivacità"--"liveliness". Some of the recent research focuses on aetiology in the CNS rather than in the gastrointestinal tract. Interventional studies on a population level are required in order to clarify to what extent the elimination of cow's milk protein is a cure for infantile colic. The advice given, for instance at well-baby clinics, to parents with crying infants varies, and should be evaluated systematically.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate relationships between infant crying behavior and fussing behavior and the mother's causal attributions of the crying, her emotional responses to the crying, as well as her later perception of infant temperament., Methods: Twenty mothers who presented their 3-9-week-old infants in pediatric practices because of excessive crying ("colic complaint group") and 20 mothers who visited for public preventive screening ("control group") were compared. Mothers kept a "baby diary." A highly structured interview with the mothers was conducted. When the babies were 4 months old, mothers completed a temperament questionnaire. The colic complaint group was subdivided using the Wessel criteria., Results: Infants from the colic complaint group who did not meet these criteria did not differ from control subjects in any of the parameters derived from the diaries. However, the mothers of this group described significantly heightened negative affect and cognitions of being rejected in response to the crying. In contrast, mothers of infants who conformed to Wessel's definition, and thereby far exceeded the other subjects in crying duration, did not differ from control mothers in respect of the aforementioned feelings and cognitions. Mothers' "negative affect and feelings of being rejected" were associated with the perception of high negative emotionality 4 months later., Conclusion: In regard to the colic problem, attention must be paid not only to the characteristics of the child, but also to aspects of maternal perception and processing of the crying problem.

Colic or excessive crying is one of the most frequent problems presented to pediatricians by new parents. Organic disease accounts for <5% of infants presenting with colic syndrome. Colic may be best viewed as a clinical manifestation of normal emotional development, in which an infant has diminished capacity to regulate crying duration.

This descriptive, retrospective study compared the temperament styles of 25 4- to 8-month-old infants who had colic with the temperament styles of 30 infants of similar age without colic. Infant temperament style was characterized by the mother's ratings of her infant's behavioral style. The degree of bother that the mother experienced in relationship to her infant's temperament also was examined. Results indicated that mothers of infants with colic rated their infants' temperaments differently than mothers of infants without colic in the temperament dimensions of activity and mood. Mothers of infants with colic were more bothered by the infants' temperament dimension of mood than were mothers of infants without colic. More infants in the colic group were characterized as difficult than were infants in the noncolic group. Individual temperament characteristics should be considered in the differential diagnosis of primary excessive crying (colic) during the newborn and infant periods.

On the basis of a descriptive, prospective investigation, the patterns of fussing and crying in normal Danish infants aged from 2-3 to 14 weeks are described. A total of 102 infants were included in the investigation and 85% completed the investigation. The parents carried out daily registration of the periods of fussing and crying. The great majority of the infants were very placid. The mean duration of fussing for the entire group was half an hour per week during the third week of life. This increased to 2 1/2 hours per week at the sixth week of life and then decreased gradually to 0 hours per week from the 12th week of life. The material was subdivided into quartiles. Infants in the first and second quartiles showed practically no fussing. Infants in the third quartile were fussy at the commencement of the period and became gradually more placid from the fifth week of life. Infants in the fourth quartile were fussy during the first 9-10 weeks of life, after which the fussing gradually diminished. In infants in the third and fourth quartiles, fussing was most marked in the evenings. Two pairs of parents considered that their infants had colic. Ten infants were defined as having infantile colic. In these infants, the patterns of fussing and crying showed a common pattern and this was significantly different from the remainder of the group. The basic variables for the 25% most placid infants and the ten infants presumed to have colic are compared.