PediaCast 126 * Crying It Out, Toddler Discipline, Migraines * 347-404-5437
Posted by Dr Mike on May 26 2008
_
WELCOME TO PEDIACAST!
TODAY’S TOPICS
Iron Supplements
Teens With Asthma
Smoking Bans
Crying It Out
Toddler Discipline
Migraine Headaches
LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE
Infants Could Be Harmed By Iron Supplements
New Approach To Treatment Benefits Teens Who Think They Have Asthma Under Control
Smoking Ban Deters Teens From Becoming Established Smokers
Taylor Mason’s Website
PEDIASCRIBE
Taylor Mason Is So Funny…
on 13 Jun 2008 at 12:22 am 1 Tony said …
Dr. Mike,
You want the proof that crying it out is not the way to go. Please check out the research by the folks mentioned in the following paragraphs including the recommendation of the Australian Association of Infant Mental Health. Dr. Sears is mentioned again as well. You should check out his parenting books, you’ll probably find some great research referenced there as well to support “progressive” parenting practices.
“Although many baby sleep trainers claim there is no evidence of harm from practices such as controlled crying, it is worth noting that there is a vast difference between ‘no evidence of harm’ and ‘evidence of no harm’. In fact, a growing number of health professionals are now claiming that training infants to sleep too deeply, too soon, is not in babies’ best psychological or physiological interests. A policy statement on controlled crying issued by the Australian Association of Infant Mental Health (AAIMHI) advises, “Controlled crying is not consistent with what infants need for their optimal emotional and psychological health, and may have unintended negative consequences.” According to AAIMHI, “There have been no studies, such as sleep laboratory studies, to our knowledge, that assess the physiological stress levels of infants who undergo controlled crying, or its emotional or psychological impact on the developing child.” Controlled crying is not consistent with what infants need.”
“Despite the popularity of controlled crying, it is not an evidence-based practice. Professor James McKenna, director of the Mother–Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame and acclaimed SIDS expert, described controlled crying as “social ideology masquerading as science”. What this means is that despite a plethora of opinions on how long you should leave your baby to cry in order to train her to sleep, nobody has studied exactly how long it is safe to leave a baby to cry, if at all. Babies who are forced to sleep alone (or cry, because many do not sleep) for hours may miss out on both adequate nutrition and sensory stimulation such as touch, which is as important as food for infant development. Leaving a baby to “cry it out” in order to enforce a strict routine when the baby may, in fact, be hungry, is similar to expecting an adult to adopt a strenuous exercise program accompanied by a reduced food intake. The result of expending energy through crying while being deprived of food is likely to be weight loss and failure to thrive. Pediatrician William Sears has claimed that “babies who are ‘trained’ not to express their needs may appear to be docile, compliant or “good” babies. Yet, these babies could be depressed babies who are shutting down the expression of their needs.”
Please check out the research and reconsider your “opinion” regarding “crying it out.”
Respectfully,
Tony
on 21 Jun 2008 at 5:44 pm 2 Michelle said …
A few more articles for you to look at Dr. Mike on CIO.
Here’s two great articles on the dangers of CIO:
http://www.naturallynurturing.co.uk/MargotSunderland.htm
http://drbenkim.com/articles-attachment-parenting.html