Hiccough/Hiccup
Some children, though not all of them, develop hiccoughs after taking milk and it is quite natural and does not constitute a disease. But, if hiccoughs last for a longer span and continue unabated, it does exhaust the little one, especially when his breathing gets interrupted; and in this condition a doctor must be consulted for medical advice. Generally, such hiccups subside automatically after a few minutes when no treatment is called for. According to some it disappears if some lukewarm water is given to the infant.
Weeping
It is no disease but merely a pointer to some discomfort felt by the baby like:
1. Pain in stomach.
2. Locking up of wind in the abdomen and gurgling sound.
3. Constipation.
4. Redness and swelling of anus due to acidity worms.
5. When bladder is full and has not been voided.
6. Fever or pain in the body.
7. Nappy rash.
8. Cold bed or exposure to cold or when his clothes get saturated with stools or urine.
9. Pain in the ear.
In some cases a child may weep even without any visible and/or apparent cause. But, it is height of imprudence to attribute every weep of child as a demand for feeding. If a child draws up his legs and does not bear his abdomen to be touched with hand, even when mild pressure is applied or simply touched it, invariably, points to colic (pain in the abdomen) which might bloat. Some children are relieved after passing wind. In a few cases even stools may be passed with the passage of wind. But colic pain generally disappears by the 3rd month.
The baby will also cry if urine or stool is not passed. This situation can be easily countered by passage of urine/stool. If the stools are hard, he will have pain while passing stools, and there may be some redness also in and around the anus. Give some quantity of water (boiled and then cooled) after regular intervals -it will help to pass urine and soften the stools. In acute cases of constipation a glycerine suppository (meant and prepared especially for children) may be inserted into the rectum. But it should not be a habit forming device, otherwise the child will not pass stools unless he is given a suppository.
If there is pain the ear, the child will try to touch his ear. Pain in ear can also be due to some injury or blockade of nose or wax accumulation. Do not touch the ear – rather have the child examined by a specialist.
Baby’s nappies should be changed as soon they become spoiled by sweat, stool or urine. When it is winter, the child will cry more due to cold and wet nappy. Even otherwise, If a child lies in wet clothes, he will develop itching, rashes and pain.