Infant Health and Development

Infant crying and colic—defined by prolonged, unexplained distress in otherwise healthy newborns—sit at the intersection of pediatric pharmacology, gastroenterology, and family health, drawing researchers who want to understand both the biological mechanisms driving excessive crying and the cascading effects on caregivers. Evidence increasingly points to gut microbiome disruption as a contributing factor, which has spurred clinical interest in probiotic interventions as a potential treatment, though the precise strains, dosages, and populations most likely to benefit remain under active investigation. Acoustic analysis of infant cries is emerging as a diagnostic tool, offering the possibility of distinguishing colic from other gastrointestinal or neurological conditions before symptoms escalate. A central unresolved question is how to untangle the bidirectional relationship between parenting stress and infant regulatory problems—since each can amplify the other—in ways that lead to effective, evidence-based support for families.

Works

48,493

Total citations

395,861

Keywords

Infant CryingColicProbioticsMaternal ResponseGastrointestinal DisordersRegulatory Problems