When should you be worried about a baby crying?

[iamspt]

Got my sister here with me

Her baby girl hasn't stopped crying for 1.5 hours. Not stopped.

Arched back but that's it

No temp for sure. No colds or coughs. Had a bottle only 2 hours ago so isn't ready yet for another

No signs of teething

But it's hysterical crying. Just wondered when to worry? I can't really find anything on NHS online

And baby is clinically well

Sorry. Baby is 6 months old

We have checked for those hair things, when you've got a hair around your toe etc

Wind? Constipation? Reflux? They both can cause a lot of crying and arched backs.
Have you tried massaging her tummy.
Offering another feed?
Change of scene, put baby in pram and go for a walk or drive in the car.

Maybe call 111 and get some advice, I had this often with my little one when he was a baby we had ambulances out and everything but nothing was ever wrong with him, today he's almost 3 and is a very clingy and shy mumas boy who always wants cuddles x

Does she stop or improve when you pick her up and pat her back on your shoulder?

It could be wind or colic. Mine always used to arch their backs if they had trapped wind and putting them on my shoulder whilst patting their backs usually helped for us.

With my niece, she hates being held. She's a really happy baby but doesn't like to be held close or cuddles. For example she lays down babbling and falls asleep within minutes. That type of thing

Yet she's hysterical right now if we hold her or lay her down. Actually worse if held

It's awful because the natural instinct is to pick her up but she doesn't like it

I would try these suggestions and then ring 111 if no improvement.

Have you tried giving her some more milk?
Arched back can be trapped wind so maybe try bicycle legs?
Take her outside?

How old is baby? Very important piece of information!

Does her cry sound different? Any more high pitched than normal?

Some childrens emergency departments do actually have a “crying infant” process, where they go through a list and systemically check through all of the potential causes whilst examining the baby. It contains things like the hair tourniquet you mentioned, but also lots of other things.

@ZealAndArdour sorry I said further up, she's 6 months x

Her cry sounds normal but she's getting really angry sounding now, probably as she's fed up!

Take her out for a walk in pram she's probably tired

I would possibly call 111, it could be her ears. My daughter had a perforated ear at that age and wouldn't stop crying.

It could also be that she is coming down with something. Maybe a dose of Calpol could help.

Hope she is back to herself soon

In this situation of unusual prolonged crying + not wanting to be held/comforted I would have a very low threshold for taking her to Childrens A&E to be checked out.

You can give her some calpol or ibuprofen in case she’s in pain. You won’t mask anything significant with it.

I would quickly check her nappy is clean and dry, make sure she’s not got very sore nappy rash or any sore skin in her genital area that could be bothering her.

Strip her off and have a look top to toe for any new marks or rashes. Any older siblings who might have accidentally hurt her?

Have a look at her tummy, is it nice and soft? Or bloated and swollen?

Offer her a feed, observe her while feeding; any sweating? Any blueness around her lips? Does she seem to be struggling to feed and breathe at the same time? That might look like her coming off the bottle/boob a lot, so she can catch her breath.

When did she last have a wet nappy? Has she had as many in the last 24hrs as your sister would expect?

When did she last poo? Could she be constipated? Is she trumping?

You don’t need to come back here with the answers, might just help you work through a couple more things, and you’ll be able to tell a doctor/111 that you’ve already checked them.

Have you offered another feed?

The amount of times my baby screamed and I didnt offer milk because she wasn't "due" a feed, I realised about 3 months old that that's usually what she wanted. If not, I'd try Gripe Water and then give some calpol or liquid paracetamol, my baby is 9 months now and doesn't often cry for too long x

too cold? too hot?

if you take her outside, does she stop?

I agree with taking her for a walk, or a drive if you drive. Motion will help if she's got trapped wind, which it sounds like.

Thanks all - turns out her mouth (inside) is covered in blisters

We've just spotted two on her feet now too. Looks like hand foot and mouth

Oh the poor thing

Poor little thing :(

For what it's worth, DS1 didn't like being held when tired - you had to put him down or else he'd scream himself into exhaustion over several hours.

Poor little thing, I hope she feels better soon.

No wonder she’s upset, poor little thing, it’s awful when they’re ill when they’re so little. Just a thought, has anyone she’s had contact with got a coldsore? A baby in my family got ill with blisters on his skin and loads in his mouth when he caught herpes simplex from a family member with a coldsore. It can be treated with anti virals.