LISTEN TO THE SHOW – originally aired Sept, 22, 2017 on WBAI Radio, Boston.

A three week old baby boy with persistent nasal congestion since birth, but otherwise seems fine. A four-day old female who appears to have swollen breasts and she had a small smear of bloody discharge in her diaper. A two-month old baby girl who hasn’t had a bowel movement in six days. A seven-month old male who seems to be turning orange. A one month old female who spit up a small amount of blood after breastfeeding. Normal or not?

Decoding baby sounds and behaviors can be both challenging and scary. Parents want to ensure the health of their baby, but can often get lost in translation. The nonspecific cries, coos, gurgles, and poos don’t clearly communicate how a baby is feeling; this can be especially anxiety provoking when parents are trying to decipher if a particular baby symptom is normal or if it warrants a visit to a pediatric healthcare provider or emergency room.

Babies are not simply “little adults.” The differences in their body systems help to explain many common baby behaviors that are concerning to parents.

In order to further explore the science behind scary baby symptoms and help parents to better understand their babies, Senior Fellow Kristi Westphaln interviews emergency department pediatrician and BabyScience blogger, Dr. Wendy Hunter. Dr. Hunter debunks common baby myths, brings baby science alive, and decodes scary baby symptoms that are actually normal.

Story by Kristi Westphaln, PNP