Title: Infant crying and abuse. Author: Reijneveld SA, van der Wal MF, Brugman E, Sing RA, Verloove-Vanhorick SP. Journal: Lancet; ; 364(9442):1340-2. PubMed ID: 15474137. Abstract: Child abuse and neglect are important causes of child morbidity and death. We assessed potentially detrimental parental actions induced by infant crying in 3259 infants aged 1-6 months, in the Netherlands. In infants aged 6 months, 5.6% (95% CI 4.2-7.0) of parents reported having smothered, slapped, or shaken their baby at least once because of its crying. The risks of detrimental actions were highest for parents from non-industrialised countries, those with either no job or a job with short working hours, and those who judged their infant's crying to be excessive. Clinicians should be aware of the risks of abuse in children known to cry a lot and should target interventions at parents to help them cope with this crying.[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]
