Related Experiment Videos
The crying infant
1Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, California, USA.
Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America
|January 16, 1999
Summary
Excessive infant crying can signal serious health issues, not just typical fussiness. Prompt evaluation is crucial for identifying and managing potentially life-threatening conditions in newborns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Infant crying is a frequent concern for parents and clinicians.
- While often benign, excessive crying can indicate serious underlying pathology.
- Distinguishing normal crying from pathological crying is a diagnostic challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review research on infant crying.
- To present differential diagnoses for acute crying episodes.
- To provide recommendations for evaluation and management.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of past and current research on infant crying.
- Compilation of differential diagnoses for crying infants.
- Development of clinical recommendations for assessment and care.
Main Results:
- A significant number of crying infants present with serious or life-threatening conditions.
- Many crying episodes are linked to minor ailments or normal developmental phases.
- A structured approach is necessary to differentiate benign from pathological causes.
Conclusions:
- The evaluation of an acutely crying infant requires careful consideration of potential serious conditions.
- Timely diagnosis and intervention are critical for infants with pathological crying.
- This review offers guidance for managing these challenging clinical scenarios.