The Excessively Crying Infant

Etiology and Treatment

Akhnikh, Samira MD
Engelberts, Adèle C. MD, PhD
van Sleuwen, Bregje E. PhD
L’Hoir, Monique P. PhD
Benninga, Marc A. MD, PhD

Samira Akhnikh, MD, is from the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children’s Hospital/Academic Medical Center. Adèle C. Engelberts, MD, PhD, is from the Department of Pediatrics, Orbis Medical Center. Bregie E. van Sleuwen, PhD, is from the TNO Child Health. Monique P. L’Hoir, PhD, is from the TNO Child Health. Marc A. Benninga, MD, PhD, is from the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition Emma Children’s Hospital/Academic Medical Center.

Address correspondence to: Marc A. Benninga, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Emma Children’s Hospital/Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands; email: [email protected].

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Pediatric Annals 43(4):p e69-e75, April 01, 2014. | DOI: 10.3928/00904481-20140325-07

Excessive crying, often described as infantile colic, is the cause of 10% to 20% of all early pediatrician visits of infants aged 2 weeks to 3 months. Although usually benign and self-limiting, excessive crying is associated with parental exhaustion and stress. However, an underlying organic cause is found in less than 5% of these infants. In the majority of cases, treatment consists not of “curing the colic,” although usually it is possible to reduce crying, but of helping the parents to get through this challenging period in their baby’s development. The aims of this review are to discuss definition, etiology, and evaluate different treatment regimes in infants who cry excessively.