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Individual differences in responsivity to a neurobehavioural examination predict crying patterns of 1-week-old
Ian St James-Roberts1, Jenny Goodwin, Bernice Peter
1Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, 27-28 Woburn Square, London WC1H 0AA, UK. i.stjamesroberts@ioe.ac.uk
Insights
High infant responsivity predicts excessive crying and colic in newborns. Procedures like undressing and handling trigger crying in these sensitive infants, offering insights for management.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Infant behavior
- Pediatric health
Background:
- Unexplained infant crying is a common parental and health service concern in Western countries.
- Infant crying and colic significantly impact families and healthcare resources.
- Understanding the triggers for infant crying is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that excessive infant crying is linked to high infant responsivity.
- To identify specific stimuli that elicit crying in highly responsive infants.
- To provide evidence for the management of infant crying and colic.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 93 eight-day-old infants underwent standardized neurobehavioral assessments and the Guthrie test.
- Infant responses to mild challenges (undressing, handling, heel prick) were observed.
- Parental diaries recorded infant crying patterns over 24 hours.
Main Results:
- Newborns with high responsivity during assessments cried more than they fussed at home.
- High responsivity predicted infants who cried extensively and met colic definitions.
- Specific procedures like undressing, being put down, and handling were identified as crying triggers.
Conclusions:
- The study supports the infant responsivity hypothesis for excessive crying and colic.
- Infants with high responsivity are particularly sensitive to common caregiving procedures.
- Findings offer implications for managing infant crying and colic by addressing specific stimuli.
Abstract:
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.