Homeopathy Papers

Crying in Children ‘“What It Means

Written by Nahida Mulla

Dr. Mulla discusses why children cry, and how and why different remedy types cry.

How And Why Different Remedy Types Cry

The first sound that a newborn makes is that of a cry. This is a good sign and means that he is healthy and breathing well. During the first few weeks, crying is the only way a baby can communicate, and soon the mother is able to distinguish between different cries. At first you wonder if he is hungry, wet or sick, or if he has indigestion.

Most mothers interpret prolonged or frequent crying as being caused by stomach-ache, because they find the child’s abdomen distended and hard. This is normal because any child who cries a lot tends to swallow air, causing abdominal distention. The mother may not realize this and look for the cause elsewhere.

Common Causes:

Crying while feeding
Many newborn babies cry when they are being fed. Often the mother feels that her milk does not suit the child because of something in her diet. Some even change over to bottle feeds. Do not stop breastfeeding. Such crying is not due to any defect in the mother’s milk or diet. It is usually due to the nose getting blocked by the breast, retracted nipples, insufficient flow of milk or some other cause. All you need to do is to be patient and soon the child will stop crying and you will find the cause of discomfort.

Hunger
The most common cause of crying is hunger. Mothers who breastfeed are often uncertain as to whether or not the baby is getting enough milk. In most cases there is enough milk in the breasts but the baby does not suck sufficiently or goes to sleep while sucking. With a bottle-fed baby, it is much easier to measure the exact quantity that he is taking at one feed. One of the most common causes of hunger in bottle-fed babies is that the milk is too dilute. Many mothers dilute the milk, as they feel that undiluted milk will upset the baby’s tummy. If you are using powdered milk, then you will have to add water. Follow the instructions on the tin as far as mixing is concerned. Sometimes the baby may need more milk for his age than what is indicated on the tin.

Physical discomforts
The child may cry because he is wet, teething, or because some objects like a pin may be troubling him. He may feel cold because of the lack of clothing or feel hot because of over-clothing or lying in the sun. If the child cries while passing stools, he may be suffering from a small injury or fissure in the anal region.

Blocked nose
A common cause for the baby’s discomfort is some obstruction in the nose resulting in breathing difficulty. Due to climatic changes, many babies suffer from blocked noses because the secretions in the nose dries up. As the infant is unable to breathe easily through his mouth, a blocked nose makes him uncomfortable resulting in his becoming cranky and irritable. Try to ensure that the infant’s nose is clean and not blocked. Make his nose moist and clean his nostrils with a cotton bud. Do this about 5 to 10 minutes before a feed to help him breathe more easily at the time of feeding.

Infant colic
Infant colic is much more common in bottle-fed babies than breastfed ones. The child screams and his face becomes red and he flexes his legs. He may pass gas, with some relief. The cause of the colic is not certain. Some of the causes are food allergy, excess of carbohydrates in the diet and over or under-feeding. Whatever the cause, the colic will disappear in due course. It rarely occurs after the baby is over three months old.

When the baby keeps crying, try to relax. Put him to the breast. If he is bottle-fed use a pacifier to quiet him. If this does not work, give him a little glucose or sugar with water. If the baby cries excessively, pick him up and rock him gently as this may help him sleep.

Personality of the child
Some children are placid, contented and happy with themselves and seldom cry. Others are aggressive, alert and will not accept the slightest change in their routine or a minimal discomfort. They cry to show their resentment or to demand the comfort they want. Some are happy lying in the cot, but others want to be picked up. Some cry because of exhaustion and fatigue, others cry through boredom. A child left in the room by himself will stop crying as soon as he sees other people around him. A child left in a cot alone may cry, but will be happy when taken out in a pram.

Stimulation
Over-stimulation can also make a child cry. Over handling by too many members of the family is quite common. Initially the child feels happy, but later he gets tired and starts crying. Similarly, cold hands, loud noises, too much tickling and even glaring lights can make the child uncomfortable and cry. Excessive physical handling like throwing the child up and down or shaking his head vigorously in affection, or even head massage can cause harm to the child.

Crying at the unexpected
In slightly older children, causes of crying can be different. One can cry at an unexpected situation. Children may cry even when they see a stranger or when they see somebody with a beard. The same thing may happen on the swings; the moment you push the swing, he starts crying.

What must be done when the child won’t stop crying?

Provide physical contact

Sometimes babies cry simply because they miss the close contact with their mothers that they enjoyed for nine months. A recent study has shown that babies who were carried in the arms or in a baby carrier for at least three hours every day cried much less than those who were carried less. Carrying gives the baby a sense of physical closeness with the mother and it may help the mother to cater better to her baby’s needs.

Respond promptly
Crying is the only way a baby can communicate with the world around him. When you respond immediately to your baby’s cry, you give him a sense of control over his surroundings and a feeling that he is important to you. There will be occasions when you feel that your prompt response has not made any difference. Your baby will continue crying no matter what you do.

Remember that not responding to your baby is not an option, as prompt response will eventually reduce crying. Some studies have shown that babies whose mothers responded to them promptly in infancy, cried less as toddlers. The longer a baby cries, the longer it takes to stop his crying. For proper emotional growth, it is extremely important that the child should be picked up whenever he wants. Avoid this only when you feel he is forming a habit. Children do not cry unless they want something or want to convey something. So, when a child cries, be sympathetic and try to understand what he wants. A little patience and understanding on your part will go a long way in establishing a healthy rapport between you and the child.

Homeopathic treatment:

CHAMOMILLA
Chamomilla is sensitive, irritable, peevishness, whining and restlessness. He moans piteously because he cannot have what he wants. He is only quieted when carried about and constantly petted . He wants many things that he refuses again and starts crying; weeping and wailing during sleep. The child is never still and never satisfied with anything it is doing. The child does not want to be touched and is intensely irritable, very often screaming with pain. When the child cries, there is reason to believe that it has an earache, headache, colic or difficult dentition.

CINA

Cina 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 suffers from nightmares and night terrors, cries out, screams and wakes frightened. Cough in Cina is so violent as to bring tears and sternal pain. After coughing, they moan, are anxious, gasp for air and turn pale.

CAUSTICUM

Causticum children are very sensitive. The least thing makes them cry. They are not sensitive to pain but are particularly sensitive to any emotional disturbance. Often these children will cry because they think you are hurting another child. It is the idea of pain which affects them, rather than the actual pain to themselves. They often stand pain quite well, but cannot bear to see another child crying.

RHEUM

Rheum is impatient and vehement, ugly and impossible to satisfy. He screams, kicks and makes himself decidedly unpleasant. He cries and tosses about all night. Desires various kinds of food but cannot eat them and becomes repugnant. He desires many things and cries. He dislikes even favorite playthings. The baby cries due to difficult dentition.

PULSATILLA

Pulsatilla children are very typical. 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 and changeable. They hang about, become either tearful or irritable and are likely to get digestive upsets. Pulsatilla babies wants this and that and are never satisfied; they want amusement. When not amused, they have a pitiful cry. Pulsatilla children cannot relate their complaints without weeping.

BELLADONNA

Belladona is indicated when the infant starts suddenly from sleep and begins to cry violently. Child cries due to sudden and violent pain; child is restless, crying out, gritting of teeth. Screams out in sleep. Cries without apparent cause.

COFFEA CRUDA

Coffea child tosses about in agony. He is subject to ailments arising from sudden emotions and pleasurable surprise. He weeps from delight. Weeping alternates with laughing. There is great sensitiveness to pain. The child screams and cried due to pain and is driven to despair.

ACONITE

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. Child starts crying as if in a fright and afraid to go to bed.

ARSENICUM ALBUM

Arsenicum cries during or after nursing, or as soon as he begins to take food. He wants to be carried fast, is very restless, changes place continually. Despair drives him from place to place.

ARNICA

Arnica cries every time it coughs or even before, as if dreading to cough. He wants to be carried.

ANTIMONIUM CRUD.

He cries when washed with cold water, is fretful and peevish; cries when touched.

COLOCYNTH

Cries hard, cannot be pacified, writhes and curls up double with colic. Better when pressing hand on belly.

CUPRUM

Breathing ceases when crying without being angry; afraid of everyone who approaches him.

STANNUM

Cries with colic, better by being carried on the belly, resting on the nurse’s shoulder, or pressing firmly against it.

THUJA

Extreme obstinacy, and throws itself angrily upon the floor. When opposed in the least, screams and cannot get its breath.

ZINCUM MET

Screams with jerk during sleep, rolls head from side to side, and if he awakens, express fear.

PSORINUM

It will help sick babies who will not sleep at night, but worry, fret, cry, or who are good and play all day but restless, troublesome, screaming at night.

SYPHILINUM

Crying in infants, when they develop this propensity immediately after birth and continue to cry.

About the author

Nahida Mulla

DR. NAHIDA M. MULLA M.D. is currently Principal, HOD repertory & PG Guide, HOD Pediatrics at A M.Shaikh Homoeopathic Medical College, Belgaum. Dr. Mulla is also a member of Karnataka State Wakf for Women"™s Development and a resource person for Continuing Medical Education. She was also a Resource person for the Re-orientation Programme for Teachers (Physiology & Biochemistry) at Government Homoeopathic Medical College Bangalore. Dr. Mulla has presented numerous scientific papers and contributes to many websites.

12 Comments

  • A useful and practical guide line for the mothers, specially who are having their first baby. ‘Why baby is crying’…they are confused and don’t understand the reason, though some of the things are being told to them by the grandmother or elderly woman in the family but still we find everything very systematically in this article.
    If a mother understands the need of the child by his cry,this factor helps a lot in building the personality of the child and establishing the rapport between the child and the mother also.

  • As a matter of fact, this article is very much important for every one. Becaue Child can’t express their problem that is why, we badly in need to learn very carefully this sort of children remedy.At last I am giving thanks to madam for her precious guidline.

  • It is very nice artical, we all are very thankful to Mam.
    nice artical to increase our knowledge in field of homeopathic medicine used in infant’s.
    Thank u MAM

  • I had some eperience Child cry when I am travelling by train from Hyderabad to Vizag during the year 2004. Young couple along with their 11 months baby also travelling. When the train started baby crying voilently & suddenly. Mother could NOT controle the baby & father also tried but the baby never stops. Co-passengers also keeping the baby in their hands but still baby crying & baby wants one toy from co-passengers son & when the baby gifted the toy took it & again thrown out still crying. I requested the mother “Shall give homeopathy medicine? Initially she refused but on husbands` advised she accepted.Then I gave CHEMOMILLA-30-3- PILLS.
    iMMIDIATLY THE BABY STOPPED CRYING & PALYING WITH CO-PASSENGERS. tHE COUPLE THANKED ME.
    I ma thanking the author for his article on the subject & helpful for every lady or family.

  • Assalamoalaykum !
    respected madam, too much thankful to you for a wonderful articles of crying children….it is too very useful for every mother to know about it….jazakallah khair…..,,!

  • HELLO MAM, As a fact , this is very very imp paper on crying . . . bcause every mother has been suffered from this kind of problem . . me too, THANKS for your precious guidline. also give some idea about potency repitation. . .

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