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Communication
- that's what a baby's crying is for. This sweet thing that suddenly
turn into a fit of tears is just craving for your sweeter attention.
All cultures in the world nod to this pattern all infants are
accustomed to.
A baby cries the most during his or her first three months. Though the
amount of crying steadily increase, the crying time period may vary
from an hour to most of the day and this could still be considered
within normal range. Like, whoah, right? Babies are also known as
howling tear factories.
Some
thought that a baby cries more during the afternoon accounting it to
the anxiousness of the mother or the stressed mood of the father after
going home from work. But the most accepted assumption now is that
babies have this automatic screening ability they use to shut off all
the noise that may stimulate some response from them so they could get
enough rest. But in the long run, this filter weakens and totally
disappears during the approximate age of six weeks. This, then, make a
baby very sensitive to the external factors such as noise, movements,
etc. And these generally elicit a reaction from a baby and how best
could he or she respond but only through crying.
Crying
is a normal event in the lives of all babies.When a baby comes out of
the woomb
the first thing to do is crying.By the first cry he will take some air
in to
the lungs for the first time in their life.After delivery if the baby
doesnot
cry then it should be initiated by slightly pinching or gently
strocking the
feet.From this it is clear that the healthy baby should cry and it is a
normal
physiological event ,still some times it can upset the mother or family
members.
We
all
know that a baby can't tell his needs or troubles in words. The only
way for
him to communicate with others is by
crying.Babies show some other signs like feet kicking,hand waving and
head
turning ect.But the best way to take the attention of others is by
crying.
Excessive
crying may not have a firm definition because the crying habit changes
from
baby to baby and some babies can be calmed easily but some are
difficult to
sooth.If crying is distressing for the mother and home nurse it can be
called
excessive.Many a times baby become quiet by giving breast milk or by
carrying
with a gentle rocking.Sudden onset of excessive crying means baby is
distressed
and needs attention.The causes of crying extends from simple reasons to
life
threatening conditions.Hence crying of a baby should not be ignored.
Most
of the time it is difficult to find the cause of the cry .Common causes
are
discussed here for awareness.
There are many
reasons why a baby succumbs to crying. Deciphering these
reasons is the major feat a parent must surmount. Here are some of the
things your sweetsome baby is making you understand through crying.
Hunger. Yes, your attention-hungry baby is craving to let you know that
his tummy is grumbling. This is the most common reason for a baby to
cry, especially, during his early months. The pattern of the hunger
howl could be characterized as being persistent, demanding and almost
rhythmical. But that rhythm is not at any rate close to becoming
musical, of course.
Boredom. What can I say? Aren't these babies just plain spoiled? Crying
because of boredom, errr, I'd find that a bit more twisted or weird if
it's with an adult that is. But babies are really built like this.
Crying is their way of telling you, "Hey get me a life here!" Aside
from attention and food, consequently, babies need a lot of
stimulation. And when they don't get this, there you get your
waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!! The trick is to pick the baby up and play
with him. This move may be frowned upon by some because of its
amounting to spoiling the baby. But it is important to know that
stimulation is also one of the major necessities of an infant and it
won't hurt to provide him with some while in his growing age. This
boredom cry is said to be also rhythmical and full of sobs and moans.
Discomfort. Pain is another precursor of the baby's crying. Who won't
cry when in pain, right? Babies are not Major Paynes to endure the most
excruciating discomfort they could undergo. They are little, vulnerable
beings that need to be attended to when injured or when in an
inconvenient situation. This cry could be more persistent, louder and
more demanding. Shrieking and screaming, those are words that better
describe the crying pattern roused by pain.
Another cause may be disturbance; surely, howling will proceed just
when they're about to sleep or are already fast asleep and suddenly
gets surprised by some noise, or movement. An illness that causes
discomfort to a baby may also be the reason for a baby's bursting into
fit of tears.
Common
reasons for crying:
1,Hunger:--
A
hungry baby will cry till he gets the
milk. Here the old saying comes true'crying baby gets the milk'.
2,Wetting:--
Urination
and defecation causes some discomfort and results in crying till his
parts are
cleaned and made dry .
3,Company:--
Majority
of the kids need somebody near. If they
feel lonely they cry.When their favourite doll slips away from the grip
they
cry for help.
4,Tired:--
When
the baby is tired after a journey and unable to sleep just cry
simply.They feel
tired in uncomfortable sourroundings and due to unhealthy climate.
5,Heat
& cold:--
If
they feel too hot or too cold they become restless and cry. Child is
comfortable in a room with good ventilation.
6,Tight
cloathing:--
Tight
cloaths especially during warm climate is intolerable for kids.Tight
elastic of
the the dress can also produce soreness in the hip region.
7,Dark
room:--
When
the baby wakes up from sleep he needs some dim light.If there is
darkness he
will disturb the sleep of parents by crying.Ofcourse he will be
irritated by
strong light resulting in cry.
8,Mosquito:--
Yes,these
creatures disturb the sleep by their blood sucking and make the baby to
cry.
9,Nasal
blocking:--
Child
may not be able to sleep when there is a cold and go on crying till the
passage
is open.
10,
Phlegm in throat:--
This
also causes difficult breathing resulting in cry.Often a typical sound
can be
heard with each breath.
11,General
aching:--
Generalised
body ache with restlessness is seen in flu and prodromal stages of some
infectious diseases can result in continuous cry.
12,Habitual
cry:---Some babies cry without any real cause ending the parents in
agony.Many
a times doctor is called for help.
13,Nappy
rash:-- If a tight and wet nappy is kept for a long time results in
this
conditon.
Rash can also be due to some allergic
reaction to the elastic material of the nappy. When
the rash appears it causes soreness and baby become sleepless and
cry. All other skin lesions like
eczema,ecthyma ,candidiasis ect also causes same problems.
14,Earache:--
Ear
infection is common in wet climate.The infection may spread from the
throat.Ear
infection can result in rupture of ear drum causing discharge of
pus.Eareache
usually becomes worse at night when lying down.Child will become
restless with
cry and may not allow you to touch the ear.Some children with earache
rub the
affected ear frequently.
15,Colic:--
When
the baby cry continuously most of us diagnose it as colic.This roblem
is still
a topic for debate because exact cause for colic is not known and
diagnosis is
also difficult to confirm.Colic may be associated with rumbling and
distention
of abdomen.Child often feels better when lying on abdomen.Some children
may not
allow you to touch the abdomen.If the child cries continuously doctors
help is
needed.
16,Infections:--
All
infections causes some kind of pain or irritation resulting in
cry.Infection
may be anywhere in the body.Usually it is associated with fever,
redness and
swelling.
17,Reactions
to certain food:--
It
is
said that one man's food is another man's poison. Some food articles
can produce
some allergic reactions.Allergy is
manifested in the form of redness, breathlessness,gastric symptons and
continuous cry.
18,Hard
stools:--
Constipated
babies with hard stools may cry when they get the urge for stool.Some
children
hesitate to pass stool because of pain .
19,Gastro
esophagial reflex:--
Here
baby cries with spilling of food after feeding.If this continues it may
be due
to gastroesophageal reflex.This is due to failure of the lower part of
esophagus to close after food causing regurgitation from the stomach.It
is
difficult to diagnose this condition and can be confirmed by giving
antireflex
medicines.
20,
Dentition:--
During
dentition child becomes restless with crying.Often associated with
gastric
troubles and diarrhoea.
Some
rare reasons
-----------------
1,Bowel
obstruction:--
Bowel
obstruction is associated with severe pain and vomiting.Abdomen is
distended
with rumbling sound.Baby is constipated with absence of flatus. Learn more about how to cure Infant Colic .
2,Septicemia:--
Invasion
of pathogenic micro organisms in to the blood is called
septicemia.Fever is
associated with this condition.
3,Torsion
of testes in male kids:--
When
a
male baby cries continuously his scrotum should be examined.Torsion of
the
testes produce severe pain which will be worse by touching the affected
testes.When the testes is pressed upwards pain is releived.If this is
not
treated properly it can damage the affected testes
due to lack of blood supply.
4,Meningitis:--
Initially
there may not be fever,hence crying baby with alternate vacant stare
and
irritability should not be ignored.Fontanel is bulging. Neck rigidity
and
seizures may appear later.
5,Retention
of urine:--
Children
with retention of urine will have agonising pain making them restless.
7,Major
injuries:--
Major
injury to any parts of the body causes pain.Occasionally children will
fall
while arrying and results in head injury.Head injury is associated with
reflex
vomiting and convulsions.
WHAT
TO DO WHEN YOUR KIDS CRY ?
Crying
is a physiological process in the life of a baby.All normal babies cry
to
communicate with others.Sine they can't express their feelings in words
crying
is the only way for communication. If any uncomfortable feeling comes
they
simply cry.Normally babies cry in situations like hunger,wetting,too
heat or
cold,tight cloaths,pain ect. Some kids need the presence of somebody
otherwise
will cry simply.Crying without any cause is habitual in some babies. Eventhough crying is considered as normal it
may worry the family members.Since the reasons for crying ranges from
simple
causes to serious causes it should not be ignored and hence exact cause
has to
be identified and managed accordingly.
The
following are some points which should be considered while dealing with
a
crying baby.
1,
It
is dangerous to shake the baby vigorously.
2,Tight
cloaths can cause irritation hence it should be removed.
3,If
the room is hot put the fan and open the windows.
4,If
the nappy is wet remove it and after cleaning the parts make it dry
with a soft
towel.
5,Pat
her back or stroke her head slowly and let her here your soothing sound.
6,Give
breast milk and make her quiet.
7,If
the climate is cold cover her in soft towel.
8,Rock
her gently in your arms and walk slowly in the room.
9,Take
a music making doll and let her listen.
10,Try
a pacifier or help her for thumb sucking.
11,If
no response change her position.
12,Walk
outdors with her.
13,Put
her on the cradle and rock gently.
14,If
no response ask somebody to carry the baby.
Even
after all these steps the baby goes on crying see for the following
signs.
(
Probable cause is given after every sign)
1,Press
her abdomen gently,she may twist or resist you:---Colic
2,Pull
her ear gently she may become worse or push your hands away:---Earache.
3,Feel
her temperature with the back of your hands:--Fever due to any
infection.
4,Examine
the skin from head to foot:--Eruptive disease,nappy
rash,measles,vesicles,allergy
ect.
5,See
the nose for any discharge:--Coryza.
6,Move
the head gently to feel any neck stiffness:--Meningitis,head injury ect.
7,Keep
your ear near her chest to hear any rattling sound:--Increased mucus in
wind
pipes.
(pneumonia,bronchiolitis,asthamatic
bronchitis ect)
8,Examine
the anal orifice:--Anal erosion,rectal polyp,crawling of worms.
9,Examine
the genitalia:--Any discharge or erosion.
10,In
male baby see the testicles which may be swollen or
tender:--Orchitis,torsion
of testes.
11,also
notice the body movements and see for any
convulsions,rigors,vomiting,cough,laboured breathing
ect.
If you
see the above signs or any other abnormal signs consult your doctor for
proper
treatement.
Note:
While every
care is taken to provide medically accurate and up to date information
in this web site, it is to be noted that this advice is not intended to
replace the advice of your physician. Before undertaking the advice
contained in this web site, you should consult a medical professional.
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