Characteristics of school-age children who had colic as infants: mothers' views.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the behavioral style and personality characteristics of young school-age children who were identified as colicky infants and the parents' perspective of any residual behaviors or effects.


METHODS
A qualitative descriptive design with mothers of 12 children identified with colic as infants and 8 mothers of children who did not have colic.


RESULTS
Three themes of children who had colic: independence/self-reliance, activity, and emotional lability/intensity.


CONCLUSIONS
Children generally were perceived as normal and healthy. Residual feelings, parent-child interaction issues, and perceived or real persistent child characteristics may surface in families who experienced colic, especially during stressful periods.
Neu
Madalynn
M
University of Colorado, Department of Psychiatry, Denver, USA. madalynn.neu@UCHSC.edu
Keefe
Maureen R
MR
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002668:Child Rearing; D003085:Colic / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D012107:Research Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires