You have just changed your baby's diaper, and went to bed, to finally rest. Suddenly, you hear a loud wail. Your baby is crying, again! This time, it is the hungry cry.

But what if we tell you that you no longer have to disrupt your rest with your baby's cry for hunger? This is only possible when you already know when to feed your baby. Babies cannot tell when they are hungry, so more often than not, parents may miss to understand they are hungry, until the hunger cry starts. But there are some cues you can look for to feed your baby!

Hunger Cues In Your Baby

Increased Activity

Your baby might become more alert and active. Thinking about food can make babies excited, so you may notice them moving around more than usual.

Head-Turning

Babies often turn their heads from side to side as if searching for food.

Mouth Movements

Look for signs like opening and closing their mouth, resembling a tiny bird waiting to be fed.

Rooting Reflex

Turning their head toward the breast, chest, or bottle is a classic hunger cue.

Sucking Motions

Babies may make sucking motions with their mouths, even if they don’t have a pacifier or bottle nearby.

Lip Smacking or Drooling

Increased drooling, lip-smacking, or sticking out their tongue are all signals they’re getting ready for a meal.

Sucking on Hands or Clothing

Your baby might start sucking on their fingers, hands, or even their clothes as a sign of hunger.

Clenched Fists

Watch for little fists clenching in frustration and impatience.

Focused Eye Contact

Babies who recognize their primary feeder might stare and follow you around the room with their eyes.

Facial Expressions

A furrowed brow or a distressed look might be your baby’s way of saying, “When’s the next meal?”

The “Neh” Sound

According to Dunstan baby language, the sound “neh” just before crying often means hunger.

Also remember that hunger pangs are strong enough to wake most babies, even from deep sleep. However, if your baby consistently sleeps for extended periods, it’s important to ensure they’re feeding frequently enough for their age.

For newborns, it’s generally recommended that they don’t regularly sleep longer than 4 hours at a stretch. Occasional long naps are fine—especially if they give you a much-needed rest! However, if your baby frequently sleeps through feeding times, consult your pediatrician to determine if gentle wake-ups for feeding are necessary.

How do you know your baby is feeding well enough?

It can be difficult to ensure that your baby is well fed, especially if you are breastfeeding, or when your baby is not of the age when he can talk. However, there are signals too for this, in fact your baby also learns how to signal that they need more milk or food.

It also depends on the age. For instance, a newborn will feed often, usually every 2 to 3 hours and sometime smore often. They feed up to 12 times every 24 hours. As your baby grows, their tummies grow too, in fact the tummy grows form a size of cherry at birth to walnut in 3 days. In a week, it is at the size of plum and in a month, it is of the size of a large chicken egg.

The "I am not hungry right now" signs for babies are:

• releasing or pushing away the breast or bottle
• closing their mouth and not responding to encouragement to latch on or suck again
• open and relaxed hands (instead of clenched)
• relaxing their body and even going a little limp
• looking around and showing interest in playing or other things
• looking content and maybe even smiling
• appearing happily drowsy and ready to go back to sleep

With the onset of the monsoon season, the heat of the summer is no longer an issue; however, it ushers in an invisible threat to public health. With stagnant water being the perfect breeding ground for Aedes and Anopheles mosquitoes, diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya cases increase dramatically among both rural and urban areas in India.

For the young ones who have not yet developed a fully functional immune system, a simple bite could cause dehydration, high fever, and other serious complications. However, in an effort to ensure their children are protected, the mothers use harmful insecticides which inadvertently end up putting their sensitive skin and breathing tract in harm’s way.

The Hidden Danger: Chemical Exposure vs. Vector Risk

The skin of a baby is 30% thinner than that of an adult and thus highly permeable, making it possible for chemicals absorbed through the skin to enter the body very fast.

It has been emphasized by international pediatric guidelines that babies under two months old should never come into contact with any chemical repellent on their skin.

Also read: Beware! Common Mistakes New Parents Make During Their Baby’s First Monsoon

The Gold Standard: Physical Barriers Over Chemical Sheaths

With regard to safety in infants, there is no question that non-chemical physical barriers are always the foremost priority. The use of cot, stroller, and window nettings that have apertures smaller than 1.2mm prevent mosquitoes from getting access to the sleeping areas without compromising air flow and without releasing any toxic chemicals into the nursery environment.

In addition, it is important to note that careful selection of appropriate clothes is essential; this means choosing loose-fitting and light coloured full body cotton clothes for the infant as they will naturally protect them as dark colours attract mosquitoes and tight clothes will give them easy access to the body for biting.

Also read: Milestone In Kala-Azar Treatment: WHO Updates Treatment Guidelines, Recommends Shorter & Safer Regimens

Smart Protocol: Fabric-Only & Botanical Innovation

As a method of active protection outdoors or for biting time in the early mornings and evenings, parents must resort to fabric application only. The natural roll-ons and patches that use botanicals such as Citronella, Eucalyptus, and Lemongrass oil must be used only on the outside of the hem of clothes, strollers, or cot corners and never on the body of the baby.

Also, the use of chemical vaporizers or coil repellants in an enclosed nursery where the child is sleeping must be avoided as these are inhaled and can cause irritation of the air passage.

By Dr. Bharat Jain, Senior Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, Cocoon Hospital, Chandigarh

Vitamins and minerals are often consumed for better health and immunity, but a new US study is drawing focus to a danger that may get overlooked. The danger is toxicity if vitamins and minerals are ingested in excessive quantity, particularly for children.

Researchers found that 1,961 children were hospitalised for vitamin and mineral toxicity over a three-year period, according to findings presented at the Pediatric Hospital Medicine 2026 meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

The researchers used data from the federal Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids’ Inpatient Database, which captures hospital admissions involving children across the US.

But the figure may represent only a part of the problem. “Our study probably only scratched the surface,” lead researcher Marina Masciale, MD, MPH, of Baylor College of Medicine, said while presenting the findings.

Most Poisoning Cases Were Due To Intentional Ingesting

One of the most interesting findings was that the majority of hospital admissions due to vitamin and mineral toxicity was due to intentional ingestion.

That makes the issue different from a child accidentally swallowing one or two tablets. Researchers say the findings highlight the need to consider supplements when assessing children who may deliberately ingest potentially harmful substances.

The database also captured only supplements for which there was a specific toxicity-related ICD-10 diagnostic code. This means poisonings involving supplements that were not coded in this way may not have been included. As a result, the researchers believe the true number of affected children could be substantially higher.

Also read: Is Your Child Suddenly Sluggish, Clumsy? Signs Of Juvenile Arthritis Parents Miss

Why Are Children Getting Poisoned If Vitamins Are Supposed To Be Safe?

The body requires many micronutrients in relatively small quantities. Some can become harmful when taken in excessive amounts, particularly certain fat-soluble vitamins that can accumulate in the body.

Minerals can also cause toxicity when consumed in excessive quantities. The symptoms and severity depend on the substance, dose and how quickly treatment is provided.

This is why supplements should not be popped like harmless candies simply because they are sold over the counter.

Also read: Too Much Cow’s Milk Linked To Severe Iron Deficiency In Toddlers, Including Three Deaths

Why Children Are Particularly Vulnerable?

Many supplements also come in colourful, flavoured or chewable forms, making them particularly attractive to younger children.

But the new findings highlight another concern: older children and adolescents may deliberately consume large quantities of supplements, meaning prevention cannot rely only on keeping bottles out of reach.

Parents and caregivers should therefore store vitamins, minerals and other supplements securely and treat them like medicines rather than everyday food products.

What Should Parents If They Suspect An Overdose?

If a child may have swallowed a large amount of vitamins or minerals, parents must not wait for symptoms to appear.

The exact risk depends on what was taken, how much was consumed and the child’s age and weight. Some toxic effects may not be immediately evident.

Medical professionals may need information from the supplement label, including the ingredients and strength, to determine the appropriate treatment course.

Arthritis is often associated with ageing, but it can also affect children. The most common form of chronic arthritis in children under 16, including those as young as 1, is Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA).

Because its early symptoms can be subtle, JIA often goes unrecognized, delaying diagnosis and increasing the risk of joint and growth-plate damage.

Children May Not Say They Are In Pain

Young children may not know how to describe joint pain. Instead, they may change their behavior to avoid discomfort, making it important for parents to notice changes in movement and activity.

A toddler may limp, take longer to get ready or become less active, Dr. Rashmi Jinnakeri, Consultant Pediatrician, Apollo Hospital, Bengaluru, told HealthandMe. These signs may be mistaken for a viral infection, growing pains or simple clumsiness.

Also read: Too Much Cow’s Milk Linked To Severe Iron Deficiency In Toddlers, Including Three Deaths

Signs Parents Should Watch For

Unlike an injury, JIA symptoms tend to persist, Dr. Chirag Rajkumar Kopp, Consultant – Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, told HealthandMe.

Parents should watch for:

• Joint pain or swelling lasting more than six weeks
• Morning stiffness that improves during the day
• Neck or lower back pain with stiffness
• An unexplained limp
• Recurrent fever without an obvious cause
• Skin rashes
• Red eyes or sensitivity to light

Morning sluggishness:

A child who normally wakes up energetic may suddenly take much longer to get out of bed, get dressed or start moving. Similar stiffness or sluggishness may occur after an afternoon nap. This can be one of the more subtle signs of JIA in young children.

Sudden clumsiness:

Parents may notice a child dropping objects, tripping, coloring messily or struggling with buttons and zips. Subtle limping after waking may also occur and can improve as the day progresses.

Avoiding play and physical activity:

Children may begin avoiding sports, physical education or activities they once enjoyed. A child who previously loved running and jumping may increasingly prefer to sit or find reasons not to participate.

Going back on milestones:

Some toddlers may show regression in movement. A child who was walking may start crawling again or frequently ask to be carried. Mild swelling, particularly around a knee, can also be overlooked. If only one joint is affected, parents may assume the child bumped it while playing.

Fatigue, fever and rashes:

Some children may appear unusually tired, have low energy or repeatedly say they cannot walk. Fleeting rashes with fever may be mistaken for viral infections. Repeated low- or high-grade fever without cough, cold or vomiting can also occur.

Read More: 'Let's Fix Our Food': India Launches New Policy To Fight Childhood Obesity, Boost Nutrition

Growing Pains vs Juvenile Arthritis?

Children may describe both conditions simply as “leg pain”, making the distinction difficult, Dr. Rashmi said.

Growing Pains

• Usually occur later in the day after physical activity
• Often affect the thighs, calves or shins
• May improve with massage
• Do not cause joint swelling or redness
• Are usually gone by morning

Juvenile Arthritis

• Is often worse in the morning
• Causes joint-related pain and stiffness
• May cause swelling or redness
• Can improve with movement
• Persists over time, potentially for six weeks or longer

Early Diagnosis Matters

JIA occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joints, causing inflammation. The exact cause is not known.

“When this goes unrecognized for too long, the effects don't simply fade with time. Joint damage can become permanent; a child's growth can be affected, and the disability that follows may last well into adulthood,” Dr. Chirag said.

Early treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and, when needed, biologic therapy can control inflammation and help prevent lasting damage. With early recognition and treatment, most children can achieve symptom control and continue to run, play and grow without limitation.