Difficult Babies Can Thrive

05/15/2008

It is the marriage of the soul with Nature that makes the intellect fruitful, and gives birth to imagination.
Henry David Thoreau

Some recent research offers reassurance to parents of "difficult" babies — those who cry a lot, are very active, and have trouble adapting to new people or situations. A study reported in Work & Family Life (May 2008; www.workandfamilylife.com) and conducted by researchers at Indiana University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill revealed that difficult babies could do as well or better in school than 'easy' babies. The study followed infants from 1,300 families in 10 geographic areas of the U.S. from birth through first grade.

The study found that, with excellent parenting, the first graders who were "difficult as infants" had as good or better grades, social skills, and relationships with teachers and peers compared with the first graders who were less difficult as infants and also experienced excellent parenting. The research suggests the importance of identifying babies with a difficult temperament during infancy and getting the support parents may need to help them plan and implement interventions.

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