Question
A two-month-old infant is eating, sleeping, and having regular bowel movements and urination, but has been crying persistently from around 6 p.m. every night for the past two weeks, with no response to feeding, drinking water, or being held. All factors such as being too cold or too hot, thirst, wet diapers, and illness have been ruled out. What could be the possible causes?
Answer
Nighttime crying may be a sign of calcium deficiency in infants. In addition to night terrors, infants with calcium deficiency may also experience excessive sweating, hair loss on the pillow, square skulls, delayed closure of the sutures, rib cartilage deformities, and other symptoms. It is recommended to supplement vitamin D and calcium and to expose the infant to sunlight to improve the situation. Additionally, infants may wake up crying at night due to shock and fear if they are startled. Parents should provide comfort and temporarily avoid exposing the infant to objects that scare them.