Is It Normal For My Baby To Cry Without Tears? - BabyCenter

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1. Children's Health /
2. Illness & Infections

Is it normal for my baby to cry without tears?Written by Nancy Montgomery

In most cases, yes. Babies' tear ducts are still developing after birth, and it's normal for them not to shed tears for the first few months, says pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, editor of The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones.

Most babies start crying tears around 2 weeks of age, but some can take longer. "Usually by the 2-month checkup, they're there," says Altmann.

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Some newborns develop clogged tear ducts, which means they can make tears but the tears aren't draining properly. Accumulated tears can create a gooey yellow discharge, which your child's doctor may treat with drops or an ointment. The doctor will also instruct you how to clean your baby's eyes and massage the tear duct, if necessary.

In older infants who have a fever, crying without tears can also be a late sign of dehydration, says Altmann. This may also be true when a child has been vomiting or having diarrhea. In these cases, make sure your baby gets plenty of liquids.

Call his doctor if you can't bring your baby's fever down or if he has other signs of dehydration, like a very dry mouth or urine that looks darker and smells stronger than usual.

Clogged tear ducts can come and go and generally clear up by the time your baby reaches his first birthday. If not, a pediatric eye doctor may need to dilate the ducts so they don't continue to clog.

In very rare cases, babies are born without the gland that makes tears. These babies also need to see a pediatric ophthalmologist.

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Sources

BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

AAP. 2016. I think my baby has clogged tear ducts. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/question.aspx?qid=3616Opens a new window [Accessed February 2017]

AAP. 2015. Signs of dehydration in infants and children. American Academy of Pediatrics. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/dehydration.aspxOpens a new window [Accessed February 2017]

American Academy of Pediatrics. 2007. The Wonder Years: Helping Your Baby and Young Child Successfully Negotiate the Major Developmental Milestones. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

Nancy MontgomeryNancy Montgomery is a health and wellness writer and editor. She lives with her husband in Berkeley, California, and has an adult daughter. She especially enjoys working on safety-related content, and organizing and presenting important information in a way that's easily accessible to parents. Opens a new window Opens a new window Opens a new window

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