Most newborn crying is normal and reflects hunger, discomfort, wind, or a need for contact. A cry that warrants paediatric assessment has one or more of the following features:
High-pitched or shrill in quality, distinctly different from the baby's usual cry
Inconsolable despite adequate feeding, nappy change, and comfort
Accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, poor feeding, lethargy, or a distended abdomen
Sudden onset in a baby who has been calm and feeding normally, particularly after the first week
Associated with arching of the back or persistent drawing up of the legs suggesting abdominal pain
A cry alone is rarely an emergency, but a change in the pattern or quality of a baby's cry combined with any other warning sign is reason to call a paediatrician rather than wait. Trust your instinct as a parent. If your baby sounds different and something feels wrong, that feeling is worth acting on.
Written by Dr Rajendra Pathak, MBBS (Motilal Nehru Medical College, Allahabad), MD Pediatrics (Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi), Senior Consultant Paediatrician and Founder-Director, Vatsalya Children's Hospital, Mahavir Road, Orderly Bazar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221002.
