Question
A 1.5-year-old child wakes up and cries almost every night after being weaned. Before weaning, the parents noticed the child had a habit of sleeping with milk. After weaning, the child developed a high fever and cough, and the crying at night persisted after recovery. The child is normal during the day, eating and playing, but cries frequently at night and often jumps in sleep during naps. The parents have checked that the child is not deficient in calcium or trace elements, but the doctors’ opinions differ. Some believe it is due to excessive fright, while others do not have a clear explanation. The parents are seeking help to find the cause and solution to the problem.
Answer
Nighttime crying may be physiological or pathological. Physiological crying is a way for infants to express emotions and needs, which may be due to hunger, temperature changes, fright, or nightmares. In this case, parents should calmly soothe the baby. Pathological crying may be caused by discomfort such as pain or itching, such as fever, eczema, rickets, oral ulcers, worm infections, or intussusception. If the reason for the baby’s nighttime crying is unclear, parents should first consider physiological causes, then consider pathological possibilities, and seek medical consultation if necessary.