Excessive crying in infants

Excessive crying in infants: When it's no longer colic

If in the first three months of life the child's intense crying was most often attributed to colic, then in the period from 3 to 12 months the reasons for crying become more complex and varied. Crying ceases to be only a signal of basic needs (hunger, dirty diaper) and turns into a complex communication tool, expression of emotions and reactions to a rapidly changing world. Understanding these new reasons will help parents respond more effectively to the baby's needs and stay calm.

Physical discomfort: New reasons for tears

As the child ages, the causes of physical discomfort change, and one of the most common "culprits" of bad mood and crying takes the top spot:

• Teething: This is probably the main cause of "unexplained" crying in the second half of the first year. Constant dull pain and itching in the gums make the child irritable, tearful and disrupt their sleep.
• Pain: It is important to rule out other medical causes of pain, such as otitis (ear infection), which often is accompanied by crying that intensifies when lying horizontally.
• Hunger: During growth spurts the child's appetite sharply increases, and the usual feeding schedule may be insufficient.

Psychological and developmental reasons for crying

The infant's brain develops at an incredible speed, and this directly affects its emotional state and behavior.

• Overtiredness and overstimulation: The older the child gets, the more information it receives from the world. Its nervous system easily becomes overloaded, and crying becomes the only way to "release" tension.
• Frustration: The child already wants many things, but can do few. It may cry because it cannot reach a toy, stand up, or say what it wants. This is a crisis related to the gap between desires and abilities.
• Separation anxiety: At 8-10 months the child begins to acutely feel the absence of the mother and may cry even if she simply went to another room. This is an important developmental stage indicating healthy attachment.
• Fear: A sudden sound, unfamiliar environment, or the appearance of a stranger can cause the child to become frightened and cry.

It is important to remember that crying is communication. Your task is not to "make the child stop crying", but to try to understand what it is trying to tell you.