Fever, colic or pain: how to know what the baby is feeling

see the sick son leaves any mother heartbroken. The first time this happens, it’s hard to know who suffers the most. Even worse when it’s night and the mother can’t talk to the pediatrician. Our advice is: don’t despair. Not that it’s easy to keep calm. But if you lose your temper, it gets worse. The baby will pick up on your distress and the desperate atmosphere in the house and become emotionally disorganized, crying even more.

On the trail of disease

Be quick on the trigger to find out what is the baby feeling prevents you from being surprised, at dawn, with no one to turn to. If the baby is breastfed, in a clean diaper, with clothes suitable for the temperature and does not calm down even in your lap, there is reason to think that something is wrong. 🇧🇷Ear pain, colic, fever… The list of diseases and symptoms that can afflict a child is enormous, and each situation needs to be carefully evaluated”, says pediatrician Maria Cristina Senna Duarte, from Rio de Janeiro. She trusts her intuition and pays attention to the clues that help in the diagnosis.

Colic

“The baby cries intermittently, has a swollen belly and a red face”, explains pediatrician Renata Waksman, from São Paulo. He can also fart, squirm, and flex his legs toward his abdomen. It is a frequent problem in early life. To lessen the suffering of the little one, gently massage his tummy, from top to bottom or counterclockwise. Warming the area with a warm diaper or a hot water bottle also helps.

Earache

The child cries incessantly, moves his head a lot, takes his arms towards his ears and often refuses to be breastfed. Otitis, which is inflammation of the ear, usually causes fever, can have multiple causes and is more frequent between 3 months and 3 years. “Pressing the external area of ​​the ear to check if it hurts makes no sense, because local pain is not necessarily a symptom of otitis”, says Renata. “During the crisis, placing a heated diaper over the region reduces pain and provides warmth. Applying a physiological solution in the nose and leaving the baby with the head elevated also eases the discomfort”, advises the doctor.

Fever

Mothers are terrified by the rise in temperature, but there is no reason. Temperatures above 37.5 ºC indicate that the organism has started a defense process against some external aggression. Signs vary from one baby to another: hot body, pallor or excessive blushing and prostration are the most frequent. To take the guesswork out, use the thermometer – don’t just rely on how you feel when you touch it. If in fact the little one has a fever, give him an antipyretic, always following the pediatrician’s advice and respecting the intervals he recommended.

vomit

It is different from regurgitation, which is normal in newborns. Regurgitation happens soon after a feeding and is characterized by the return of a small amount of milk. Vomiting can occur much later, whether it is gushing or not, and requires effort from the child. Its causes vary: throat infections, gastric problems, internal injuries, sudden movements and emotional factors are some possibilities that should be investigated by the doctor. While you are not talking to him, keep the baby hydrated, giving small doses of liquid every 15 minutes so as not to provoke a new crisis.

Special attention

Another essential care is not to medicate the baby on your own, especially if it is a newborn. It’s okay to ask a grandmother or a friend for help to identify the problem and resort to palliative measures (such as a bath or a gentle massage) while you don’t talk to the pediatrician. But don’t use medicine without his recommendation – not even natural ones. “Calling for alternative solutions is dangerous, both because of the risk of worsening the condition and masking symptoms, jeopardizing the diagnosis”, warns Renata.