Parenting classes used to talk about colic as a way to describe excessive crying that is not due to illness or pain, but now you may hear about the term PURPLE crying. This term comes from the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome® Period of PURPLE Crying®
, which has an educational program called “The ” in which “PURPLE” is an acronym used to
describe a period of excessive crying that is normal.
Infants who cry excessively should always be seen by a doctor to rule out pain or illness as a cause of the crying. However, if the infant’s pediatrician has ruled out pain or illness, “colic” or “purple crying” could be the term they use to describe this behavior.
It is important to remember that as long as the infant’s doctor has said that the infant is healthy, be patient and remember that this period of excessive crying will come to an end, eventually. Don’t feel frustrated if you cannot soothe an inconsolable infant.
You may wonder why some infants seem to have periods of excessive crying while others do not. All infants will cry at times in an unexpected and inconsolable way, but each baby is a unique individual and therefore will experience this crying differently. In some, excessive and inconsolable crying will be more pronounced; in others it may be hardly noticeable.
[If participants ask more questions about “The Period of PURPLE Crying® please refer them to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome®
,
dontshake.org, which has additional information, including answers to common questions about crying and soothing methods to try as well as those to avoid. Participants can also download the PURPLE app.]
What should you do if you find yourself losing patience when you’re caring for your infant grandchild because the crying is wearing you down? (Take a break.) Caregivers and babysitters are human, and sometimes you’ll need a break. Have your spouse or partner take over if they are available. If you’re alone, put the infant in a crib or other safe sleeping place if you need to get away from the crying.
Let’s look at the Safe Sitter® Guide to Child Care Duties on pages 12-13
of your booklet. Notice that the younger the child, the more you must do for the child.
Looking at the chart,
• What age group depends completely on you? (Infants.) • What age group is most likely to be resistant? (Toddlers.) [Point out how many times the word “resist” is in the Toddlers column.]
• What age group is most likely to be cooperative but needs frequent reminders? (Preschoolers.)
• What age group needs reminders to use the bathroom? (Preschoolers, but also younger school-age children.)
”
PAGE 8 | GRANDPARENTS: GETTING STARTED INSTRUCTOR MANUAL
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