Inside the uterus, the foetus is in a warm protected environment. When it is brought out, the child experiences a total change in the environment. The outside temperature and air stimulates the skin. This stimulation makes the child take a deep breath. Thus, the air gets into the lungs and it results in a cry.
This cry is one of the five parameters (Apgar count) to assess the child’s condition soon after birth. This is done at one minute and five minute after birth. In a normal child, the first cry is a vigorous or lustrous one.
The cry is a good indicator of various disorders in the newborn babies.
The irritable cry may be due to brain injury.
The feeble cry may indicate:
- A respiratory problem (asphyxia etc.)
- A brain problem (intracranial bleeding etc.)
- Immaturity of the lungs in a low birth weight baby (pre-maturity).
- Aspiration of fluid from the amnion (a bag of membranes which encircles the child). The aspiration contents may be the meconium (the first dark motion passed by the child).
Okay! That is soo cool!! I knew the thing about environment change, but the fact we can understand disorders by the type of cry is so fascinating!!
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