When a child is very young, parents have many fears about their health and questions about what exactly they want and what bothers them. How do you understand a wordless baby? Experts identify three main ways children "talk" to adults.
- Crying
- Crying is the primary and most common way babies communicate with adults. In the first four months after a baby's birth, Crying is their main way of expressing their needsHow to distinguish each type of crying?
- Summoning cry. The child could have been alone for a long time, wants to be picked up. He'll probably scream for 5 to 6 seconds, then pause for about 20 seconds, as if waiting for a result. If he doesn't see any results, he'll repeat it again and again.
- Hungry cry. It may begin with a summoning cry if the baby was picked up but not fed. the crying won't stop, will become hysterical, the child will turn his head and may make sucking sounds.
.Crying in pain. This type of crying will be monotonous, loud, and incessant.
- By the sounds
Australian pediatrician Priscilla Dunstan has been researching the sounds of early infancy (up to 3 or 4 months) for over 20 years. Thousands of babies from around the world participated in her experiments. Priscilla firmly believes that primary sounds and reflexes are international.
Although after 4 months, the child makes sounds because he wants to communicate and has less to do with the physical needs of the first 3 monthsPriscilla opened a school where she teaches new parents how to understand their babies. It's believed that recognizing these sounds early can prevent crying. Here are some of the main sounds:
- “Ña” (“ñe”): “I’m hungry!” This sound is made when a child press the tongue against the palate and is generated by the sucking reflex.
- “Au” (“ou”): “I want to sleep, I’m tired!”By forming an “o” shape at the first sign of a yawn, the baby makes this “tired sound.”
- “Je”: “I feel uncomfortable!” Unpleasant tactile sensations cause the child to move, waving arms and legsAnd when, at the same time, the mouth opens, sounds like these are produced.
- By the movements
Body language tells us a lot about what our baby wants, for example:
- Turn your head rhythmically. A calming movement. The baby may do this at bedtime or when in the company of strangers.
- Clench your fists. A sign of hunger. If you spot it early, you can prevent hunger crying.
As we have seen, there are signs that help us understand what little ones want, even if they cannot express themselves in words.