Question
Our three-month-old baby has been crying continuously at night, and no soothing seems to work. What could be the reason?
Answer
A baby’s crying can be categorized into physiological and pathological conditions. Physiological crying is a way for the baby to express their needs, which may be due to hunger, discomfort in temperature, being startled, or nightmares. In such cases, parents should simply comfort the baby. Pathological crying, however, may be caused by illnesses such as fever, eczema, rickets, oral ulcers, worm infections, or intussusception, and immediate medical attention is required. When a baby cries at night without a clear reason, parents should first consider physiological factors, and then consider pathological factors further. If necessary, medical advice should be sought promptly.