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Objective: To study regulatory problems (RPs) of feeding, sleeping and excessive crying in infancy, and explore the influence of maternal mental health problems and parent-child relationship problems., Design and Setting: Data were collected in the general child health surveillance delivered to infant families by community health nurses (CHNs). Information on CHNs' assessments and conclusions were obtained on 2598 infants and merged with data from national registers. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to study RPs in early and late infancy, and the influences due to child, family and parent-child relationship problems., Results: Combined RPs (C-RPs), defined as two or more simultaneous problems of feeding, sleeping or excessive crying, was identified in 2.9% and 8.6% of the population between age 2-6 and 8-11 months, respectively. Low maternal schooling and immigrant parents were associated with an increased risk of late C-RPs, but RPs in early infancy stand out as the main predictor of late C-RPs OR 3.4 (95% CI 1.8 to 6.6), and the effect of early maternal mental health problems and parent-child relationship problems seem to be mediated by early C-RPs., Conclusions: Combined problems of feeding, sleeping or excessive crying may exist throughout infancy independently of exposures to maternal mental health problems and parent-child relationship problems. The results indicate that infants with RPs exceeding age 2 months need special attention, in clinical as well as community settings. Suggested intervention includes specific guidance to the parents to help them understand and regulate their infant's sensitivity and reactions., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Persistent, inconsolable crying in young infants is common, distressing but usually benign. This selective review examines perceptions and perceived origins of this phenomenon in babies where serious pathology has been excluded. Adult brains have evolved to become hypersensitive to infant cries. Babies respond to parental stress by crying more, thus setting up a vicious cycle. Most treatments appear to work largely through a placebo effect. The imperative for healthcare professionals is to reduce parental anxiety by offering reassurance and support., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Purpose: To prospectively examine relations between maternal DSM-IV-TR anxiety and depressive disorders and excessive infant crying., Methods: Based on the prospective longitudinal Maternal Anxiety in Relation to Infant Development Study, n=306 expectant mothers were enrolled during early pregnancy and repeatedly interviewed until 16 months post partum. Lifetime and prospective information on maternal anxiety and depressive disorders was assessed via standardised diagnostic interviews (Composite International Diagnostic Interview for Women). Excessive crying (crying for ≥3 h per day on ≥3 days per week for ≥3 weeks) was assessed via Baby-DIPS. During the first 16 months after delivery, n=286 mother-infant dyads were available and included in the analyses., Results: Excessive crying was reported by n=29 mothers (10.1%). Infants of mothers with anxiety disorders prior to pregnancy were at higher risk for excessive crying than infants of mothers without any anxiety disorder prior to pregnancy (OR=2.54, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.78, p=0.027). Risk was even increased when considering additionally incident anxiety disorders until delivery (OR=3.02, 95% CI 1.25 to 7.32, p=0.014) and until 16 months post partum (OR=2.87, 95% CI 1.13 to 7.28, p=0.027). Associations remained stable when adjusting for sociodemographic and perinatal covariates. Maternal depressive disorders prior to pregnancy were not significantly associated with excessive crying in this sample., Implications: Maternal lifetime and incident anxiety disorders revealed to be a robust predictor for excessive crying. Thus, early identification and monitoring of women with anxiety disorders is important to identify mother-infant dyads at risk for excessive crying., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Background: Excessive crying, sleeping or feeding problems are found in approximately 20% of infants and may predict behavioural problems in childhood., Methods: A quantitative meta-analysis of 22 longitudinal studies from 1987 to 2006 that statistically tested the association between infant regulatory problems and childhood internalising, externalising and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) problems was carried out; 1935 children with regulatory problems were tested. Cohen's d was used to express the association between regulatory problems and behavioural problems. Heterogeneity of the effect sizes was assessed using the I(2) statistic and meta-analysis of variance and meta-regressions were conducted to assess the influence of moderators. Rosenthal's classic fail-safe N and correlation of sample sizes to effect sizes were used to assess publication bias., Results: The weighted mean effect size for the main regulatory problems-behavioural problems association was 0.41 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.54), indicating that children with previous regulatory problems have more behavioural problems than controls. Externalising and ADHD problems were the strongest outcome of any regulatory problem, indicated by the highest fail-safe N and lowest correlation of sample size to effect size. Meta-analyses of variance revealed no significant moderating influences of regulatory problem comorbidity (I(2)=44.0, p>0.05), type (I(2)=41.8, p>0.05) or duration (I(2)=44.0, p>0.05). However, cumulative problems and clinical referral increased the risk of behavioural problems., Conclusions: The meta-analyses suggest that children with previous regulatory problems have more behavioural problems than controls, particularly in multi-problem families. Further studies are required to assess the behavioural outcomes of previously sleep, feeding or multiply disturbed children.

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.

Neglect is a major cause of inadequate childcare in all societies and should be differentiated from abuse. "Neglect" is defined here, as the "neglectful" failure to supply the needs of the child, including emotional needs. It does not include the deliberate and malicious withholding of needs, which is a form of abuse. Neglect has its roots in ignorance of a child's needs and competing priorities; it is passive and usually sustained. The carer is without motive and unaware of the damage being caused. Malnutrition is a prime example of neglect; the stigma associated with the term abuse should never be applied to the poor struggling or uneducated mother whose child, that she loves dearly, becomes malnourished. Education of the mother and society and relief from the vicissitudes of poverty are required to alleviate most neglect of the world's children.

The observation that babies with troublesome crying improve quickly in hospital suggested that, if true, a common, quickly reversible, factor may operate. Histories from parents of such babies suggest that much work goes into trying to console them. It is hypothesised that this may lead to excessive stimulation and the improvement seen in hospital reflects a reduction in stimulation. Two studies were undertaken. (1) Carers were asked to agree to randomisation of their infants to hospital or home management. Those at home were advised to reduce stimulation. A 10 point questionnaire was used to describe distress in mothers of subjects and age matched controls. (2) A randomised controlled study compared advice to reduce stimulation with an empathic interview using a +5 to -5 scale to chart change. In the first study too few subjects agreed to randomisation and thus a rigorous study to validate the observation could not proceed. There was good evidence, however, that crying improved. Results from the home group justified the second study. The median distress score for subjects was 7/10 and for controls 3/10 (p less than 0.001). In the second study at seven days, 18/22 subjects given advice scored +2 or better on the change chart for crying, compared with 7/20 of those who did not receive advice (p less than 0.01). After the latter received advice 79% improved (95% confidence interval 61 to 97%). For babies under 12 weeks, the customary upper limit for a diagnosis of colic, 14/15 subjects advised improved compared with 6/12 who were not advised (p less than 0.02). These studies have shown that infants with troublesome crying admitted to hospital seem to improve quickly as do those whose carers are advised to reduce stimulation.