Crying is a baby’s way of communicating his or her needs. Babies normally cry a lot in the first year of life. Many newborns cry loudly whenever they are awake, frequently for no obvious reason. As babies grow older, wakefulness without crying is more common, and parents become more adept at interpreting the cause of tears. Physical factors that prompt babies to cry may include hunger, a wet or dirty diaper, sleepiness, gas, or pain. Babies also cry when they feel insecure or frightened or need attention. Infants who cry excessively and cannot be comforted may have colic, an intense pain that seems to have gastrointestinal origins. For a baby 6 months of age or older, crying can be a symptom of teething. Harsh or persistent crying can be a sign of illness.
Infants commonly display a customary response to their necessities or discomfort, such as hunger or thirst. Upon the fulfillment of their requirements, the majority of robust babies terminate their crying. Nevertheless, in certain cases, prolonged crying may be ascribed to a physical causative agent, such as an incapacity to endure bovine lacteal fluid or the manifestation of an affliction (such as an aural or pharyngeal infection, or a viral pyrexia).