TEMPERAMENT AND SLEEPING PATTERNS IN COLICKY INFANTS DURING THE FIRSTYEAR OF LIFE

A prospective study of 59 colicky infants acid 58 age-matched controls assessed infants' temperament at the ages of 3 and 12 months and thei r sleeping patterns at the ages of 8 and 12 months. At age 3 months, t he mothers regarded the colicky infants as more intense in their react ions, less persistent, more distractible, and more negative in their m ood. At age 12 months, mothers regarded 23% of the colicky infants to be more difficult than average compared to 5% of controls. The mothers regarded their colicky infants as more active and less persistent. Ho wever, the Toddler Temperament Scale showed no difference between the groups in any area of temperament. No significant difference was found between the two groups in sleeping patterns. The discrepancy between infants' actual temperament and mothers' general perception of tempera ment may reflect the influence of infantile colic on the mother-infant relationship.