DON'T IGNORE BABYS WEIRD SYMPTOMS MIGHT BE SICK

Your baby may have a lot of weird symptoms in the first few months. We'll tell you whether you need to worry about any of them.

When my twins were newborns, I couldn't help getting anxious about every little change in their health or behavior. Like the time my son's eye filled with yellow goop. "Does he have an eye infection?" I wondered. Even though the doctor said this was nothing to worry about, I was a bit freaked until it disappeared a week later.
Babies tend to have odd symptoms during their first six months. "In most cases they're perfectly normal," says Loraine Stern, M.D., clinical professor of pediatrics at UCLA School of Medicine. Check out these quirks that you don't need to worry about.

Eye Discharge

 A newborn's tear ducts are very narrow and susceptible to clogging, which causes white or yellowish gunk to collect. The discharge may look like pus, but it's not a sign of an infection unless the white of the eye starts to turn red, says Dr. Stern. Treatment is easy: Starting from the inner corner of the eye, gently wipe away the discharge with a wet cotton ball or a warm washcloth. You can also try to open the duct by using the tip of your clean pinky finger to lightly massage the space between your baby's eye and nose. Note: This is one of those times when short nails are a big plus.

Spitting Up

 All babies spit up after meals sometimes, and they usually don't require reflux medication. "An infant's involuntary muscles are still getting stronger, including the ones that hold milk in his stomach," says Katherine O'Connor, M.D., a pediatrician at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore, in New York City. Formula-fed babies may spit up more often because formula takes longer to leave the stomach than breast milk does. Bottle-fed babies can also overeat because they'll continue to suck (and drink more) even after they're full; breastfeeding helps a baby drink the proper amount at a feeding. Most infants stop spitting up once they're able to sit upright without assistance. As long as your child is happy and gaining weight, you needn't be concerned. But if he seems distressed when he spits up, talk to your pediatrician about the next step.

Hiccups

These spasms of the diaphragm are a nuisance for adults, but hiccups are no big deal to newborns, who often have several bouts per day and barely seem to notice. You shouldn't try to stop them by feeding your child. They'll stop -- and start again -- on their own.

Crossed Eyes

From time to time almost all babies have episodes when one eye looks in a different direction from the other. While this may appear a little goofy to you, it doesn't mean your child will have vision problems. "In the first few months, the eye muscles are still developing, and your baby is learning how to use them," says Dr. O'Connor. If her eyes aren't aligned by 6 months, ask your doctor about seeing a pediatric ophthalmologist.

 Poop Strike

Although your baby's diet (whether breast milk, formula, or a combination) may not change during the first four to six months, don't be surprised if the frequency of her BMs fluctuates. "Bowel habits adjust because stool begins to move through the intestines more slowly," says Dr. Stern. If your child changes from pooping after every meal to not going for several days, it doesn't necessarily mean she's backed up. As long as her poops are mushy, and she's eating well and has a soft belly (rather than a firm, distended one), you can relax. Don't be concerned if your baby grunts or makes strange facial expressions while she's filling up her diaper. That's how she works to push out a bowel movement. If she's truly constipated, she'll have small, hard stools that might be streaked with blood -- in which case you should call your pediatrician right away.

Lip Blister

 For adults, this is usually a painful and annoying cold sore. But when your nursing newborn develops a tiny blister on his upper lip, chances are he's not bothered by it at all. However, it is a sign that you need to correct his breastfeeding technique. "Your child isn't latching on as deeply as he should be, so his sucking is creating too much friction on his lips, and that causes the blister to form," says Sara Chana Silverstein, a certified lactation consultant in Brooklyn, New York. Solving this problem is relatively simple. Try to position your nipple at least an inch inside your baby's mouth. The blister should disappear within a few days.

 Acne

 When your smooth, soft newborn seems to sprout pimples or whiteheads overnight, who can blame you for being alarmed? Fortunately, there's no reason to be concerned about infant acne. It's common around the 2- to 3-week mark, and your hormones -- which are still circulating in your baby's bloodstream and stimulating her sweat glands -- are to blame. Her skin should clear up within a few weeks, and unlike adolescent acne, this kind doesn't leave any scars. It's fine to wash her face gently with water (no soap), but there's probably no need for any other remedy. "Leave it alone, and it will probably go away," says Dr. O'Connor. In those rare cases when it doesn't clear up within about 21 days, ask your baby's doctor if he recommends trying a mild topical medication.

Knowing what signs to look for can help calm the panic so that you can decide if it's serious enough to make an appointment with the pediatrician:

1. Fever

Fever itself is not an illness, but rather the baby's response to an illness – most commonly an infection. Call the doctor if your infant is less than three months old and has a rectal temperature above 100.4 F, or if your baby is between 3 and 6 months and has a temperature above 101 F. Even if the temperature is lower than these general guidelines, call the doctor if your infant appears ill with such signs as a rash, irritability, poor feeding, trouble breathing, a stiff neck, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, signs of dehydration or is lethargic or difficult to arouse.

If an infant has a fever coupled with symptoms of extreme somnolence, lethargy and inarousability, that is a definite cause for concern, Dr. Nesochi says. "The constellation of symptoms including fever, neck stiffness and sensitivity to light is also concerning and may be indicative of a very serious condition such as meningitis."

2. Dehydration

Dehydration can happen if the baby is feeding poorly, has a fever, is in too warm an environment, or has persistent vomiting or diarrhea. You can recognize dehydration if your baby has a dry mouth and gums, wets the diaper less frequently, sheds no tears when crying or the fontanel (the soft spot on the top of the head) appears to sink slightly. If you think your baby is dehydrated, call the doctor.

3. Diarrhea

Diarrhea is common in infants, but call the doctor if there is blood in the stool (which can appear bright red or, more serious, black), the baby has more than six watery stools a day, is not taking fluids or shows signs of dehydration.

4. Vomiting

Infants commonly "spit up" but frequent vomiting is reason for concern. Vomiting may not be serious if it happens only once or twice. However, if it happens more frequently, contains blood or is green in color, or if the baby looks dehydrated, call your doctor.