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Crying behaviour in early infancy is associated with developmental outcome at two years of age in very low birth weight infants
Author(s) -
Munck Petriina,
Maunu Jonna,
Kirjavainen Jarkko,
Lapinleimu Helena,
Haataja Leena,
Lehtonen Liisa
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00673.x
Subject(s) - crying , medicine , psychomotor learning , pediatrics , analysis of variance , low birth weight , cognition , psychiatry , pregnancy , biology , genetics
Aim: To evaluate the association between infant fussing and crying and developmental outcome in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Methods: Hundred and seventeen VLBW infants were followed up to 24 months of corrected age. The duration of fussing and crying and frequency of fuss/cry bouts were measured at term 6 weeks and 5 months of corrected age. Cognitive and motor development was assessed at 24 months of corrected age. Results: The increased duration of combined fuss/cry at term associated with lower psychomotor developmental index (PDI), [regression coefficient (b) =−0.83, p = 0.025]. Crying at term associated negatively with mental developmental index (MDI) (b =−0.91, p = 0.040) and PDI (b =−1.10, p = 0.015). The associations between fuss/cry and PDI, and crying and PDI persisted in multiple regression analysis (b =−0.89, p = 0.030 and b =−1.23, p = 0.018, respectively). Excessive fuss/cry (≥180 min/day) at term associated with lower PDI (p = 0.005) and at 6 weeks with lower MDI (p = 0.024) and PDI (p = 0.012). Increase in the frequency of fuss/cry bouts at 5 months associated with higher PDI in both simple (b = 2.90, p = 0.045) and in multiple regression analysis (b = 3.60, p = 0.019). Conclusions: In VLBW infants, longer duration of fussing and crying in very early infancy, but not at 5 months, is associated with less optimal development at 24 months of age.