[Infant crying diary: a useful aid in distinguishing between normal and excessive crying behavior]

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Neonatology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Excessive infant crying is a common parental concern.
• Differentiating infantile colic from other causes requires careful assessment.
• Early identification of organic diseases is crucial for infant health.

Observation:

• A crying diary was used to monitor three infants with parental concerns of excessive crying.
• The diary accurately identified one case of infantile colic.
• It also revealed normal crying patterns in a second infant and prompted further investigation for a third.

Findings:

• The crying diary is an effective tool for assessing infant crying patterns.
• It helped diagnose infantile colic in one infant.
• It identified a case of Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in another infant, previously undetected.
• Normal crying behavior was confirmed in the third infant.

Implications:

• Crying diaries can aid pediatricians in diagnosing the cause of excessive infant crying.
• Early detection of organic diseases through symptom charting is possible.
• Parental reassurance and education on normal infant behavior are key management strategies.
• Most cases of excessive crying resolve spontaneously by three months of age.