Cry babies 'could be mentally
ill'
From: AAP
December 19, 2005
EXCESSIVE crying in babies could be an early warning sign of
childhood mental health problems, a Melbourne researcher said
today.
Dr Mary Brown, from Melbourne University, followed the progress of
75 babies admitted to the Royal Children's Hospital for unexplained
severe crying episodes between 1995 and 1998.
In four out of the five babies, the crying episodes lasted more
than three hours a day and none were diagnosed with reflux or other
medical problems which could cause pain.
"The common paediatric advice when children have colic or excessive
irritability is that they will grow out of it, and for most
children this is true," Dr Brown said.
"But there also appears to be a sub-group of children where crying
is a precursor to mental health problems."
Dr Brown assessed the children again when they were aged between
five and eight years old.
She found 20 per cent of the children had a clinically significant
mental health disorder, including behavioural problems and
depression.
Just over a quarter of them had a separation anxiety disorder by
the time they went to school.
Two children were so depressed they said they wanted to die, and
one child from the group was diagnosed with Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder.
Dr Brown said her study pointed to the need for further research
and for medical professionals to closely monitor the progress of
babies who were admitted to hospital for excessive crying.
"We should develop more effective interventions to relieve the
distress of these babies and their families, and monitor them until
the problem is resolved and ensure their psycho-social development
is normal."
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Anyone here cries a lot when they are a
baby? 