Fifteen-minute consultation: Troublesome crying in infancy

Abstract

There is much written in the medical and lay literature about managing babies who cry too much. Healthcare professional often feel bewildered about how to go about trying to help a baby and their carer, usually the mother. They often undertake investigations, prescribe medication or alter the baby's diet. The assumption made by this approach is that the crying reflects pain or discomfort. In a normal infant who is growing well, it is rare to be able to identify any quickly treatable medical underlying disorder.1 Those who are inexperienced may find the idea of a behavioural approach very challenging but perhaps this would be a better alternative.