The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff. The Period of PURPLE Crying program has been rated by the CEBC in the area of: Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (Secondary).

• Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified
• Type of Maltreatment: Physical Abuse
• Target Population: All mothers of new infants and society in general in their understanding of early infant crying and shaken baby syndrome.

It is a shaken baby syndrome prevention program that educates parents and caretakers on normal infant crying, the most common trigger for shaking an infant. It was designed to be used primarily in primary prevention settings, but is applicable to secondary prevention as well. The letters in PURPLE stand for the common properties of crying, including unsoothable crying, in infants during the first few months:

• Peak pattern (crying peaks around 2 months, then decreases)
• Unpredictable (crying for long periods can come and go for no reason)
• Resistant to soothing (the baby may keep crying for long periods)
• Pain-like look on face
• Long bouts of crying (crying can go on for hours)
• Evening crying (baby cries more in the afternoon and evening)

The program also contains a public media component aimed at changing cultural attitudes about crying, especially inconsolable crying.