All infants and young children cry as a form of communication. It is the only way they have to express a need. Thus, most crying is in response to hunger, discomfort (such as that due to a wet diaper), fear, or separation from parents. Such crying is normal and typically stops when the needs are met—for example, when infants are fed, burped, changed, or cuddled. This crying tends to occur less often and for shorter times after children are 3 months old.
Excessive crying refers to crying that continues after caregivers have attempted to meet routine needs or crying that continues for longer than usual for a given child.
Causes--More than 95% of the time, there is no specific medical disorder responsible for excessive crying. Although such crying is stressful for parents, children eventually settle down and stop crying on their own.
Fatigue is a common cause of crying in infants. Between 6 months and 3 years of age, crying at night is often due to difficulty falling back to sleep after normal night awakenings. Falling back to sleep on their own is especially difficult for children who are used to falling asleep under certain conditions such as while being rocked or with a pacifier.
Night time fears are common after age 3 years. The particular fears usually depend on the child's age and stage of emotional and physical development. Sometimes children aged 3 to 8 years cry fearfully in the middle of the night and do not seem to be awake or able to be comforted. They also have no memory of a dream or of the crying when they wake in the morning. These episodes of crying are called night terrors and are discussed elsewhere .
MEDICAL DISORDERS
Less than 5% of the time, excessive crying is caused by a medical disorder. Some disorders are uncomfortable but not immediately dangerous. Such less serious causes of crying include gastroesophageal reflux , hair wrapped around a finger or toe (hair tourniquet), a scratch on the surface of the eye (corneal abrasion), an anal fissure, and a middle ear infection.
Less commonly, a serious disorder is the cause. Such disorders include a blocked intestine caused by intussusception (sliding of one segment of intestine into another and volvulus (twisting of the intestine ), as well as heart failure, meningitis, and head injuries that cause bleeding within the skull. Infants with such severe disorders often have other symptoms (such as vomiting or fever), which alert parents to the presence of a more serious problem. However, sometimes excessive crying is the first sign.
Colic refers to excessive crying that has no identifiable cause and that occurs at least 3 hours a day for more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks. Colic typically occurs in infants about 6 weeks to 3 or 4 months old.
Warning signs
Certain symptoms are cause for concern and suggest that a medical disorder is causing the crying:
- Difficulty breathing
- Bruises or swelling over the head or other parts of the body
- Abnormal movements or twitching of any body part
- Extreme irritability (normal handling or movement causes crying or distress)
- Continuous crying, especially if it is accompanied by a fever
- Fever in an infant under 8 weeks old
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
ACONITUM NAPELLUS 30- Aconitum is a very effective remedy for crying infants and children.There is constant crying with anxious looks and great uneasiness, whines and frets, constantly gnawing at his fingers or something else.Child cries during dentition or in brain and chest affection. Another feature is child starts crying as if fright and afraid to go to bed.
BELLADONNA 30—In Belladonna crying is due to any type of pain. It is indicated when the in the infant starts suddenly from sleep and begins to cry violently. Child cries due to sudden and violent pain. The child is restless, crying out, gritting of teeth. Screams out in sleep
CHAMOMILLA 30—Chamomilla is another top remedy for crying in children. Chamomilla child is sensitive, irritable, peevishness and whining restlessness. Piteous moaning because he cannot have what he wants. Child can only be quiet when carried about and petted constants. Child wants many things that he refuses again and start crying . Weeping and wailing during sleep . The child is never still, it is never satisfied with anything it is doing. The child does not want to be touched and is believe irritable , very often screaming with pain. Chid cries due to earache, headache, colic or difficult dentition .
CINA 30-Cina is another excellent remedy for crying. It is mainly due to worms.Child ill humor, very cross.He does not want to be touched, or crossed or carried. Desires many things , but reject everything offered. Abnormal consciousness , as if having committed some evil deed. Child will scream and cry when handled but once the preliminary discomfort of handling is over the child is quite peaceful.Often the Cina child will cry for more food immediately after a meal and the child often suffer from nightmares and night terrors, cries out, scteams and wakes frightened. Cough in Cina is so violent as to bring tears and sternal pain. After coughing moaning, anxious, gasp for air and turn pale.
CAUSTICUM 30-Caustium is very effective for crying . Cauticum children are very sensitive. Least thing makes it cry. They are not sensitive to pain but are particularly sensitive to any emotion disturbances. Often these child will cry because they think you are hurting another child. Intense sympathy for others suffering. It is the idea of pain which affects them, rather than the actual pain to themselves and they often stand pain quite well, but cannot bear nother child.
RHEUM 30-Rheum child is impatient and vehement, ugly and impossible to satisfy. He screams, kicks and makes himself decided unpleasant. He cries and tosses about all night. Desires various kinds of food but cannot eat them, become repugnant. He desires many things and cries. He dislike even favourite playthings. The baby cries due to difficult dentition.
PULSATILLA NIG. 30-Pulsatilla is another effective remedy for crying of children. They are liable to flush up from any emotions very often going pale afterwards. The child is always full of tears. They are mild, gentle, yielding disposition , sad, crying readily , weeps when talking, changeable . They hang about , becomes either tearful or irritable and are `likely to get digestive upset. Pulsatilla baby wants this and that and are never satisfied, they want amusement. When not amused , has a pitiful cry. Pulsatilla child cannot relate her complaints without weeping
COFFEA CRUDA 30-Coffea child crosses about in agony. He is a great subject to ailments arising from sudden emotions and pleasurable surprise. He weeps from delight. Weeping alternate with laughing . There is great sensitiveness to pain.The child screams and cried due to pain and driven to despair.
ARSENICUM ALBUM 30-Arsenicum child cries during or after nursing , as soon as the child begins to take food. Child wants to be carried fast. Child is very restless , changes place continually , despairs drives him from place to place.
ARNICA MONTANA 30—Arnica child cries every time it coughs or even before as if dreading to cough. Child wants to be carried.
COLOCYNTH 30—Colocynth child cries due to colic. Child cries, hard, cannot be pacified , writhes and curls up double with colic better when pressing hand on belly
CUPRUM METALLICUM 30- In Cuprum breathing ceases when crying without being angry , afraid of everyone who approaches him.
PSORINUM 200-It will help sick babies who will not sleep day or night but worry, fret, cry, or who are good and play all day but restless, troublesome , screaming at night
STANNUM MET .30-Child cries due to colic , better by carrying it on belly, resting on the nurse’s shoulder or pressing firmly against it.
SYPHILINUM 200-Crying infants when they develop this propensity immediately after birth and continue to cry.Cry when washes with cold water, fretful, and peevish, cries when touched.
THUJA OCCIDENTALIS 200-Extreme obstinacy , child throw itself angrily upon the floor. When in the least opposes screams, cannot get its breathe.
ZINCUM MET 200-Child screams with jerk during sleep, rolls head from side to side and if awakes express fear.