The role of family therapy in mediating adverse effects of excessive and inconsolable neonatal crying on the family system.

Prolonged and inconsolable new infant crying is 1 of the most challenging tasks for parental caregivers to ameliorate and manage. As parent(s) attempt to meet the stressors associated with this situation, multiple subsystems within the family may be adversely affected. Lasting interactional difficulties often result, interfering with the healthy development of parent-child and parent-parent dyads. This article examines these risks to the family system, suggests an important role for intervention by family practitioners, and presents recommendations for intervention by clinicians. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved