If your baby is exhibiting the following symptoms, seek immediate medical attention:

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When to Worry
(Reprinted from page 35-36 of Touchpoints of Communication by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.)
Awaiting copyright permission from Perseus Books in
Cambridge, MA.

There are a few important signs to watch for as you try to understand what your baby's cry is telling you.

An extremely piercing or high-pitched cry can be a cry of pain that means medical attention is needed.  Normal crying at this age usually takes place during the late afternoon or early evening hours, at least three days a week.  Crying that does not fit this pattern may have another meaning.  This end-of-day crying usually lasts for not more than 3 hours.  It usually begins at 3 or 4 weeks of age, peaks at about 8 weeks, and settles down at 3 or 4 months or age.  If you baby's crying does not fit this pattern, or goes on to the same extent after 4 months of age, pediatric attention is needed.

Gastroesophageal Reflux.  If your baby frequently regurgitates, vomits, and is losing weight, then he may in fact have gastroesophageal reflux.  But be aware that 50% of all 2-month-olds will regurgitate at least twice a day.  Infants with gastroesophageal reflux are a minority--less than 5% of infants under 3 months of age with "colic."  Usually they have other symptoms too--choking, gagging, irritability, periods when breathing stops, hiccuping, feeding refusal (turning their heads away and arching, even when hungry), and weight loss, among others.  These symptoms need to be assessed by a pediatrician.

Milk Allergies.  Infants with milk allergies, also much less common than once thought (about 10% of infants under 3 months with "colic), will sometimes have vomiting, diarrhea (at times with blood), and sometimes a family history of asthma or eczema.  But there are plenty of milk substitutes that your child's pediatrician can help you decide to try.

Some Other Causes of Crying.  Very rarely, an infant this age can have a more serious reason such as heart disease or a migraine headache, tow conditions leading to crying that is less likely to quiet when an infant is picked up and held.  An infant with migraine headaches, though, usually has close relatives with a history of migraines.  persistent, difficult-to-soothe crying can also be a result of drugs to which the infant was exposed as a fetus in the uterus, or on rare occasion, to drugs that a mother takes that can pass into breast milk.  Finally, an infant this age who is being physically mistreated may also cry inconsolably.  Many parents will worry about losing control when their crying baby cannot be soothed.  During this difficult period, parents and infants are more at risk.  If your baby's crying seems to be more than you can bear, be sure to seek support [hyperlink to Childhelp USA, Parents Anonymous, other support resources)  from your pediatrician, nurse practitioner, or other healthcare professional.