Crying without tears in babies

In most cases, it is normal for a baby to cry without tears.  The tear ducts of babies are still developing after birth. As a result it is normal  for them to cry without shedding tears.

Most babies try crying tears around 2 weeks of age, however some can take longer.

Some newborns have clogged tear ducts. This means that they  can make tears but the tears are not draining properly. The accumulation of tears can result in yellow discharge which the  doctor treat with drops or ointment.  He will also tell you how to clean your baby’s eye and massage the tear duct if necessary.

In older children who have a fever, crying with  no tears may be an indication of dehydration. This may be true especially  if the child is vomiting and has diarrhea. In this case, make sure the child is getting lots of fluids.

However you need to call the doctor if fever doesnt go down and the child has other signs of dehydration such as

• very dry mouth
• low urine output , no urine at all or urine that looks darker and smells stronger than usual

Clogged eye ducts usually correct by the child’s first birthday, Otherwise a pediatric eye doctor may need to dilate the ducts so that they don’t continue to clog.

In very rare cases, babies are born without glands that make tears. These babies need to see a pediatric ophthalmologist.