How Safe or Dangerous is the "Cry It Out" Method

Often many parents struggle with night time sleep because it is most often when infants, baby’s and even toddlers wake up for many reasons, hunger, teething or just wanting to be comforted. As parents we are deprived of many things from date nights as a couple, using both hands to prepare a meal, hobbies such as scrap booking or just talking to a friend over the phone. It is very common the parents run to friends, family, pediatrician, Internet and stranger for advice on how to have your child sleep through the night. But are the techniques that are being suggested safe for our children?

 

The "cry it out" method was created by Dr. Richard Ferber the head director at the children’s hospital in Boston of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorder. He wrote a book in 1985,"Solve Your Child Sleep Problems," needless to say it was a controversial book in which he talked about letting baby sooth by itself. Dr. Richard Ferber well known and judged that it became known as "Ferberizing. Many deemed while other applauded. However, he was not the first to come up with the idea around "CIO method," in the 1880's with uproar about germs and transmitting infections and disease that it was advice that babies should be seldom touched. In the 20th century John Watson a self-proclaimed hard science talked down about affection because he argued that babies who are given "too much attention," could result in a failed adult, dependent, and even dangerous. A pamphlet was created by the government at the time that focused teaching mothers that a baby should be held up to the point of feeling tired, when that happened that happened then baby should be put down and not inconvenience the adult. A baby at the age of six months should start being taught to sit alone in a crib, because a mother might waste her time by having to watch and entertain her baby.

According to Ph. D Narvaez who wrote for Psychology Today stated that we can now confirm with neuroscience that letting a baby cry and become distress can be dangerous. There is more short and long term negative effect in the "Cry It Out," method then what could potentially be positive. The main reason many parents let their children cry for long periods can vary but the main one that parents attest to is because they want to teach their children to sleep through the night. However, the potential risks for “CIO,” are far more serious than many even imagine, “less intelligent, less healthy but and more anxious, uncooperative and alienated person who can pass the same or worse traits on the next generation,” according to the article written by Ph. D Narvaez. By reinforcing greater “independence” can actually be working towards making a being be more dependent. It is said that babies who cry for a long period of time and become distressed go into a depression stage that can be compared to what adult’s experience. Just because a baby stop crying does not mean he or she is content, it is very possible that the infant’s starts having health problems as well. The brain release cortisol which shrinks brain cells which eventually affect brain development.

Neurons die when the hormone cortisol is released in the brain when a baby is in great despair or distress, when great distress is experienced by a baby this can be a neuron killer according to Dr. Sears in the article Science Says: Excessive Crying Could Be Harmful.  Dr. Sears proves that scientist have found that developing brain tissue when exposed to the cortisol and adrenaline hormone for a prolonged period these nerves don’t form connections to other nerves and will degenerate. This is why it raises a red flag that parents leave their infants crying for days or weeks, the neurological effects that this has on baby’s brain are irreversible implications. One study done showed that an infant left to cry was 10 times more likely to have ADHD, antisocial behavior and poor school performance this pointed out by Dr. Sears. There is also evidence that vital organs are in distress due to the release of the hormones for prolonged crying.

According to Sarah Cassidy in The New Zealand Herald in the article Babies left to cry can suffer brain damage, warns parenting guru,  there are so many advantages of holding a baby, more specifically skin to skin. The skin to skin contact is better than an incubator in maintaining your baby’s temperature, a mother’s body temperature can raise or lower a couple degrees to hear or cool baby, it also helps regulate baby’s heart rate and blood sugars, baby cries less, bonding, having less issues with breastfeeding and helping increase milk supply due to the prolactin hormone being produced due to contact. It is obvious who mothers need to hold babies. Dads can help increase baby’s body temperature but not decrease; it’s recommended that dad’s put baby down once they feel warm to the touch.

Some people are starting to think that the first three months of a baby’s life is the 4^th trimester of the pregnancy and baby should be worn. This can be overwhelming for a mom to hear because they just got out of pregnancy and most want their bodies back, making this as a culture practice will make a new mom more at ease about caring for baby. A great way to wear baby is using a baby wrap, one usually runs about $40-$60 and even cheaper if bought as a second hand item, this can free hands up and help mom do things around the house or simply lay on the couch read or use the control to change the channel.

It is unnecessary to dispute weather or not it is safe for a baby to cry for a second or two, however, when a child cry for a prolonged period this can be devastating emotionally but also health wise. It is understandable cries and that not always will a parent or caretaker will be able to cater to needs right away and that at times a baby will be put down and cry for an instant, it is the crying that gets no response for a prolonged period that is worrisome. It is necessary to use good judgment based on scientific evidence when making a decision that will determine your child’s health as an adult and that can even pass to generations to come. It is also important to take into consideration that “controlled crying” have no ill effect on babies. Is the “CIO” method safe or dangerous you decide?

 

Cassidy, Sarah. Babies left to cry can suffer brain damage, warns parenting guru. The Independent. 22 April, 2011. Web Nov. 2012

Early childhood stress and neurobiological effects. Wikipedia. Nov. 2012

Narvaez, Darcia. Dangers of “Crying It Out.” Psychology Today. December 11, 2011 Web. 21 Nov. 2012

Sears, Williams. Science Says: Excessive Crying Could Be Harmful. Ask Dr. Sears. Web Nov. 2012