When you tell a child no for buying something they point at, before going to school, for taking a shower, etc. in all these situations children are bound to cry, and it’s completely normal. But what if your child cries all the time? Is he or she crying at playschool? At home? In the park? With guests around? When you go out? Then, there might be something that is making them uncomfortable.
Every child considers crying as a form of expression when they cannot tell you what is hurting them. There is a rare chance that they have suffered from some emotional and/ or physical trauma, or it could be a symptom of a developmental issue. If you want to know “why is my 5-year-old crying?” then read on, as it can be any of these or other reasons.
Crying a lot and its reason:
1. Sensory processing
When children cannot adjust, understand, or sense certain objects, sounds, textures, etc. they may have trouble processing the senses around them. This can cause them to be on edge and physically uncomfortable. The child cries all time because he or she is exposed to a sense that they cannot experience. This can cause much hindrance in their life, and they are confused as to how to express the same. Trouble in sensory processing isn’t a symptom of a disorder, and hence it can be quite hard to catch.
2. Personality and perceptions
Your child may cry all the time and in the worst possible situations. This will lead you to search “what to do when a child cries all the time”. And yet, what we miss is communication. The way children perceive the world is a lot different than how we perceive it. They may feel overwhelmed by their emotion or may feel an emotion that they don’t know how to point and label. A child’s emotional response to its stimuli and surrounding can be understood when we try to talk to them and understand their viewpoint. Understand to give your child some space to adapt to their surroundings and support them in every way that you can.
3. Anxiety
A child crying a lot can be labeled as being sensitive by some parents. In reality, they cry a lot because they are feeling something keen to anxiety. Anxiety in children is increasing and it comes at every turning point for a child. Their first day away from home, their first time trying out a new place, their first day at school, making their first friend, etc. can provoke feelings of anxiety in them. What’s worse is that they may not understand what it is, and may cry a lot in response to it.
4. Lack of sleep
A child needs a minimum of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If for some reason this sleep is interrupted, or they slept for fewer hours, they will cry a lot. If you are wondering why my child is crying, then don’t forget this reason. They will be cranky and their behavior will be quite different than before due to sleep deprivation. They feel sleepy and groggy, and to resist their daily routine and to sleep more, they will retaliate by crying a lot.
5. Not enough nutrition
If your child is a picky eater- like most children, then you will have trouble feeding them enough nutrients, calories fats, proteins, etc. If they don’t eat well, they might have some behavior modification internally. Poor eating habits will result in a constant feeling of hunger. If there is a deficit of some vitamin or nutrients in their body, then they might also experience the physical symptom. These symptoms and the general feeling of hunger will cause them to cry.
6. Expression
For children, sometimes miscommunication is a cause to cry. The crying and its effects are various but it all comes down to expression. When toddlers who haven’t learned many words find it difficult to tell you something that hurts them, or if they cannot tell you what they need, they cry out of frustration. This lack of expression and the ability to communicate what they want can cause a child to cry, and in a way, he or she is telling you that they want something.
Crying can either be due to lack of expression, or it could be a sign of trauma or issues in development. You can communicate with the child effectively and get to the root cause of their crying. They might find it difficult to explain to you as they at times fail to understand the cause, but be patient and support them. If their constant crying worries you, then you can seek a child therapist as well.