New research shows persistent and high-pitched crying in newborns is rarely a sign of illness or bad parenting.
The sound of a colicky baby's cry can make parents feel like screaming.
Colic occurs in 20-percent of newborns and usually lasts for three to five months.
Often parents feel they are doing something wrong if their babies cry this much.
However, Doctor Ronald Barr of the Montreal Children's Hospital says that's not the case.
Dr. Ronald G. Barr/Professor of pediatrics and psychiatry: "THIS PATTERN OF CRYING IS GOING TO BE THERE EVEN WITH THE BEST PARENTS. AND SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S FRUSTRATING TO HAVE AN INFANT CRYING, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY - IN FACT IN MOST CASES IS NOT BECAUSE THE PARENTS ARE NOT DOING APPROPRIATE PARENTING. "
Pediatricians suggest a few things to help parents of colicky babies:
First... make regular physical contact with the baby.
If parents are frustrated... put the baby down in a safe place and walk away.
Most importantly... don't shake the baby. Researchers say chronic crying is the motivation in 95-percent of all infant abuse cases.
For more information on colic... call the Child Abuse Prevention Center of Utah at 801-393-3366.
August 7, 2002
