Excessive crying in infancy fortunately is not an issue for most new parents. Unfortunately, however, the number of children who seem to scream for no reason is increasing. However, experts do not yet fully agree on the causes.
What is Excessive Infant Screaming?
Excessive crying in infancy is understood as the "rule of three". This means that the children concerned scream more than three hours a day, at least three days a week and that for at least three weeks.
Signs of illness are rarely recognizable and after a short time the affected parents are often desperate: How can they help? What is the reason? The fact is that it is usually not the parents' fault, especially since children who already have siblings tend to cry excessively more often.
The parents therefore have a certain amount of experience in dealing with the infant, so it can hardly be inferred from the wrong behavior on the part of the parents.
causes
The causes of excessive crying in infancy are usually seen in the child's difficulties in adapting. In other words, it felt good in its mother's womb for nine months and was then born into a world that was alien to it. Since it cannot express its displeasure by speaking, it screams.
Other experts see physical causes in excessive screaming. They suspect that the child's intestinal tract, which is still sensitive, is not yet able to cope with the baby food or that there are intolerances to food that the mother eats.
Still others assume that everything is too much for the baby, it notices the stress of the overwhelmed parents and is therefore under stress itself. To reduce this, it screams.
Regulatory disorders can also be the cause of screaming attacks in small children.
Diseases with this symptom
- Regulatory disorders
- Inguinal hernia in children
- Three-month colic
- Otitis media
- Umbilical hernia
- teething
Diagnosis & course
The doctor uses the above-mentioned "rule of 3" for diagnosis. First of all, it records all the data relating to the child and the parents. It is usually recommended to keep a writing diary so that it is clear how often and how long the writing phases actually are. Then treatment tailored to the specific situation can be started.
Often the little ones scream excessively from the day they are born. This increases within the first week and then remains at a continuous level. In most cases, everything is over between the seventh and twelfth week of life and the child finds inner peace.
Complications
Excessive crying in infancy is especially a burden for the baby's parents. This can lead to complications for both parents and children. First of all, there is the risk that it will not be recognized immediately what the infant has, since he can only articulate himself by screaming. It could be pain, discomfort, tension and dislocations or just a harmless but pronounced need for closeness.
Even a pediatrician may not find out immediately and must first examine the infant thoroughly. The parents of an infant who cries excessively, on the other hand, suffer from nervous tension, restlessness, mostly also from an extreme lack of sleep with all the consequences and risks and are therefore more physically vulnerable. This can easily lead to postpartum depression, especially in mothers. In principle, of course, a father can also struggle with depressive moods if he hears his child crying excessively in infancy.
Depression in parents often leads to neglect of the child, but of course also leaves serious consequences for the parents themselves and should be recognized and treated as soon as possible. However, since a certain baby blues is normal and depression due to excessive crying is often not recognized in infancy, parents often remain alone with their problem for a long time.
When should you go to the doctor?
Parents are often confused: Is their baby's crying still normal or is it already "excessive crying in infancy"? Young and inexperienced parents in particular are often worried here, but are often reluctant to see a doctor straight away Some people are even advised that excessive crying will strengthen their lungs, or that it is not good to give extra attention to a crying baby. However, excessive crying in infancy is definitely a reason to see a pediatrician.
There is a clearly defining rule of three for excessive crying in infancy: the babies cry
- more than 3 hours a day
- at least 3 days a week
- for at least 3 weeks
Excessive crying in infancy can be due to the character of the baby and thus be harmless. However, it can also be based on an uncomfortable disorder or even a serious health impairment. After all, an infant cannot express in words what is wrong with him. Loud screaming should therefore be seen as an alarm signal for the child. Parents should therefore go to the practice of a pediatrician immediately if they cry excessively in infancy with their child - rather too much than too little.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
There are no direct treatment options for excessive screaming. After it has been found out at which times the baby cries particularly often, further research into the cause and possibly avoidance of the situation can be tried.
In part, it is just stress from visits and activities with the newborn that is causing the crying. In less clear-cut cases, the midwife can help; she will usually give the baby the homeopathic remedy Nux vomica. This medication is intended to ensure that the child comes to rest and forgets the previous stress. Nobody knows for sure if it really helps, but it's worth a try. Before doing this, however, the advice of the pediatrician should be sought.
Many doctors refer the parents directly to a cry clinic. There are now such facilities in many larger cities. Among other things, the child's brain waves are measured there so that any abnormal processes in the brain processes and structures can be recognized. In some cases, computer tomographies are also made so that neural disorders can be excluded.
Otherwise, the treatment options for excessive screaming are limited, the old rule helps here: Wait and drink tea. In the truest sense of the word, the parents are treated with tea here, they can drink calming teas in order to meet the few quiet times of the day with inner peace and sleep.
Outlook & forecast
Excessive crying in infancy is exhausting for everyone involved, both for the infant and for the parents. If it occurs in the first few days of life, it must be examined now, because it may be that a serious problem is hidden behind it. Since most infants are still in the clinic in their first few days and can be treated if necessary, there is a good chance that health problems will be recognized and the crying will stop as a result.
Excessive crying in infancy can also occur without a physical background, with some babies crying more than others. This can drag on for several months without the parents having to do much about it, other than hugging and comforting their baby. In these cases of excessive crying in infancy, parents must also be involved in order to have a good prospect of the further development of the family. Otherwise, the infant survives the crying phase without further damage, but the relationship between the parents and their child can be severely damaged.
If nothing can be done about the screaming itself, the parents must be relieved and should be referred to the screaming outpatient departments in the hospitals in larger cities, to which they can turn if they no longer know what to do.
prevention
Excessive screaming cannot be prevented. It is believed that avoiding stress and an unhealthy lifestyle during pregnancy can help alleviate the crying out later. However, it cannot be completely prevented as long as the actual causes of screaming children are not clarified. Resting and staying in a familiar and well-groomed environment is widely seen as a way to prevent screaming.
You can do that yourself
If an organic cause behind the infant's excessive crying can be ruled out, the background must slowly be approached. First of all, the baby should not be agitated. Visits should be kept to a minimum. Avoiding distractions like watching TV or activities that are stressful for the child can also help.
Excessive crying in the baby can also be due to chronic fatigue. It is advisable to bring the child to sleep at regular intervals. A waking phase of one to one and a half hours should be followed by a break in which the baby can recover. This avoids overstimulation. A well-structured day gives the child security. If it is also difficult to fall asleep, a warm bath or a gentle massage can help calm the baby.
So-called screaming children need a lot of attention and positive encouragement. Affected children should be addressed in a voice that is as calm and monotonous as possible. This should be maintained even if there is no immediate improvement and the child continues to cry excessively. Periods when the baby does not cry should also be used. Affected parents should ensure that there is plenty of physical contact during the quiet periods. It can be very helpful to lay the naked baby on the breast, which is also naked.
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