Can Newborns Get Headaches and How Are They Recognized?

Newborns may experience pain that could include headache, but they cannot describe it and headaches are difficult to diagnose at this age. Most crying, unsettled behavior, and brief irritability have common non-serious explanations, yet a newborn who seems unwell or has neurological warning signs should be assessed promptly.

Can newborns get headaches?

Newborns may be able to experience headache-like pain, but doctors cannot reliably confirm a headache in the way they can in an older child or adult. A newborn cannot point to the head or describe pain, so crying or irritability by itself does not establish that a headache is present. In most cases, a briefly fussy newborn is reacting to common needs such as hunger, gas, tiredness, temperature discomfort, or a need for soothing.

Still, clinicians take changes in a newborn’s behavior seriously because some illnesses can cause pain, irritability, or pressure-related symptoms. The important question is usually not whether a baby has a headache in isolation, but whether there are signs that the baby is unwell or that the brain, nervous system, or whole body needs medical assessment.

True primary headache disorders, including migraine, are much harder to recognize in the newborn period and are not usually diagnosed from crying alone. A careful review of the baby’s age, birth history, feeding, temperature, alertness, movements, and physical examination provides much more useful information than trying to interpret a single episode of crying.

Why headache is difficult to recognize in a newborn

Older children may say that their head hurts, seek a dark room, or describe nausea and sensitivity to light. Newborns communicate distress through broad signals, such as crying, grimacing, drawing up the legs, feeding less, sleeping differently, or being difficult to settle. These behaviors can result from many ordinary causes and are not specific to head pain.

Newborns also have rapidly changing sleep, feeding, and crying patterns. Cluster crying, particularly later in the day, can occur in healthy young babies. Overstimulation, swallowing air during feeds, wet diapers, reflux symptoms, constipation, or a room that is too warm or cool may all lead to discomfort without indicating a neurological problem.

Parents know their baby’s usual behavior best. A sudden, persistent, or clearly unusual change matters more than the amount of crying alone. For example, a baby who is inconsolable and also feeds poorly, seems floppy, is unusually difficult to wake, or has a fever should be reviewed by a healthcare professional.

Common explanations for crying and apparent discomfort

Most newborn distress has a non-serious explanation. A baby may be hungry, overtired, overstimulated, need a diaper change, or need to burp. Some babies have feeding difficulties, gas, reflux-like symptoms, or temporary bowel discomfort. Checking basic needs and using calm, responsive soothing can often help.

Parents may find it useful to observe patterns rather than assume pain is located in the head. Note when the behavior begins, how long it lasts, whether it relates to feeds or sleep, what settles the baby, and whether there are symptoms such as vomiting, a rash, congestion, cough, or reduced wet diapers. This information can help a pediatric clinician identify likely causes.

It is also worth considering possible environmental discomfort. Bright lights, loud noise, excessive handling, and an uncomfortable temperature can make a newborn unsettled. Gentle holding, skin-to-skin contact when appropriate, a quiet environment, and feeding according to the baby’s cues are reasonable first steps for an otherwise well baby.

• Check that the baby is feeding and producing wet diapers as expected.
• Burp the baby during and after feeds if swallowing air seems likely.
• Use safe soothing methods, including holding, rocking, or a calm, dim environment.
• Place the baby on their back to sleep on a firm, flat sleep surface without loose bedding.

Signs that need prompt medical review

Although most unsettled behavior is not dangerous, newborns can become ill quickly. Parents and caregivers should seek urgent medical advice if a baby younger than 3 months has a rectal temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher, unless they have been given different instructions by the baby’s clinician. Fever in this age group needs timely evaluation because infection may not always cause obvious symptoms.

Other warning signs include repeated or forceful vomiting, especially green vomit; feeding much less than usual; fewer wet diapers; persistent inconsolable crying; marked lethargy; difficulty waking; unusual limpness or stiffness; breathing difficulty; bluish or gray color; a new rash that does not fade when pressed; or movements that may be seizures. A bulging or tense soft spot when the baby is calm and upright, rather than briefly full during crying, also warrants medical review.

After a fall, blow to the head, or other injury, a newborn should be assessed urgently if there is loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, an unusual behavior change, seizure-like activity, a swelling on the scalp that is enlarging, or concern about the force of the injury. Caregivers should trust their judgment: if a baby looks or behaves significantly differently from usual, contacting urgent care, a pediatrician, or local emergency services is appropriate.

How doctors assess a newborn with possible pain

A clinician begins by asking about pregnancy and birth history, age in days or weeks, recent illness contacts, feeding, urine and stool output, vomiting, sleep, crying pattern, medicines, and any injury. They will check temperature, heart rate, breathing, oxygen level when needed, weight, hydration, alertness, muscle tone, and the soft spot on the head.

The physical examination looks beyond the head. A doctor may examine the ears, throat, chest, abdomen, skin, hips, and genital area, because pain or infection in different parts of the body can make a newborn irritable. A focused neurological assessment evaluates eye movements, response to sound and touch, reflexes, tone, and any abnormal movements.

Tests are not needed for every fussy baby. However, when findings suggest infection, dehydration, injury, or a neurological concern, the doctor may recommend blood or urine testing, observation in hospital, or imaging. Ultrasound through the soft spot can sometimes be useful in young infants; other imaging tests are selected only when clinically indicated. The aim is to identify and treat the underlying cause safely, rather than label the symptom as a headache.

Safe comfort measures and what to avoid

For a newborn who is otherwise alert, feeding normally, and has no warning signs, caregivers can try simple comfort measures. These include offering a feed if due, burping, changing the diaper, reducing noise and light, holding the baby close, and allowing time for rest. If crying is persistent or parents are unsure, it is sensible to call the baby’s pediatric care team for guidance.

Do not give a newborn over-the-counter pain medicines, cough and cold products, teething gels, herbal preparations, or medicines prescribed for another person unless a qualified clinician has specifically recommended them. Aspirin should not be given to children because of the risk of Reye syndrome. Medication choices in very young infants depend on age, weight, symptoms, and the possible cause of illness.

Never shake a baby. If crying feels overwhelming, place the baby safely on their back in an empty crib or bassinet and take a brief moment to calm down, while ensuring another responsible adult can help if possible. Support is available from pediatric services, family members, and local urgent-care resources when caregivers are exhausted or worried.

When to seek medical care

Contact a pediatrician the same day for a newborn with a new or persistent behavior change, poor feeding, fewer wet diapers, vomiting, or crying that does not improve with usual comforting. A clinician can help determine whether the baby needs an in-person examination. It is better to ask early than to wait if caregivers feel something is not right.

Seek emergency care immediately for fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher in a baby younger than 3 months, seizure-like movements, trouble breathing, blue or gray skin color, inability to wake the baby normally, repeated vomiting, a serious injury, or a rapidly worsening condition. These signs do not necessarily mean a serious neurological disorder, but they require urgent assessment.

For families seeking specialist evaluation, Acıbadem Health Point’s multidisciplinary pediatric and neurology specialists at JCI-accredited hospitals can assess infants with concerning symptoms and coordinate appropriate testing and care for international patients. Parents should bring notes about symptoms, feeding, temperatures, wet diapers, and any videos of unusual movements, when safe to obtain, as these can assist the clinical assessment.

Frequently asked questions