[Infant crying diary: a useful aid in distinguishing between normal and excessive crying behavior]. / Huildagboek bij zuigelingen; een nuttig hulpmiddel om onderscheid te maken tussen normaal en excessief huilgedrag.

Three infant girls aged 9, 10 and 8 weeks, who cried excessively according to their parents, were referred by the general practitioner to the paediatrician. Using a crying diary it was possible to ascertain that one infant fulfilled the criteria of infantile colic. The diary showed that a second infant was not crying excessively and her mother could be reassured that her baby's behaviour was normal. The third infant proved to be suffering from an organic disease (Alpha-I antitrypsin deficiency), which had not been obvious at clinical assessment. The crying diary provided clues that warranted further investigation. The parents of all 3 infants were reassured and the crying lessened over a period of several weeks. When parents complain that their child cries excessively, it is useful to chart the amount of crying time in a diary. Registration for one week is sufficient. If the child does not suffer from an organic disease, the mainstay of treatment is to explain normal crying behaviour and that it often helps if the infant is not offered too many stimuli. Parents can be reassured that spontaneous resolution will generally occur at the age of three months.