Baby Arching Back: Is This An Underlying Symptom For Something Serious?

Decoding baby behavior might be difficult in the beginning. It will take you some time to decode the different cries and their different meanings.

You will understand from their cries when they are hungry and when they just want attention. However, their reaction does not just stay limited to crying.

You will often find your baby arching back accompanied by crying. This is common in babies, and there are various reasons why they do so.

Baby Arching Back: What Are The Probable Causes?

In some situations, a newborn arching back along with some other symptoms can be a sign of some underlying health condition. However, if there are no other symptoms, then they could be doing it just like that.

The probable reasons for a baby arching back are mentioned below: 

• Gassiness
• Body language
• Rollover attempts
• Baby reflux
• Startle reflex
• Temper tantrums
• Nerve damage
• Seizures
• Cerebral palsy
• Newborn jaundice
• Sandifer syndrome
• Autism

1. Gassiness

They have a new digestive system and gassiness is common in their system. Some babies get fussy and remain so for days or even weeks. This is known as colic.

This can start when your baby is 4 to 6 weeks old and can cry for hours without stopping. However, the relief is that babies outgrow colic by the time they are 4 months old.

Newborn arching back is common when they have an upset stomach or have gas. They arch their back because this stretches their stomach and they get a little relief. They often arch their back after you fed them, or when they are trying to poop.

2. Body language

Babies are stubborn. Sometimes they just arch their back when they do not want to be fed or when they do not want to be held. This means you have to either get them down or change the position a bit.

Some have strong back muscles and do not shy away from using them to get what they want. So, if they are arching their back and you cannot find any other reason, just get them down and see what they do.

3. Rollover attempts

When a baby is developing and learning new skills, they are also building their neck and back muscles. You will find your baby sucking their hand when they discover their hand.

So, when they discover and learn to move their head and back, they often try to figure out what more they can do. You will find them arching their back during their tummy time, or doing it when they want to roll over.

4. Baby reflux

Baby reflux happens when the stomach muscles that pinch both ends do not work properly. This is common in babies from the time of their birth till 18 months of age.

Reflux is even more common in premature babies. Moreover, a healthy can get reflux multiple times in a day. However, there is nothing to worry about if there are no other symptoms that indicate something serious.

5. Startle reflex

When a baby hears a sudden loud noise, they get startled. This is also known as the Moro reflex, and you will notice this if they feel they are falling or when you suddenly move them.

When they are startled, they often straighten their legs and throw their arms. Their head jerks making them arch back. However, this goes away when they are 2 to 4 months old.

6. Temper tantrums

Well, the time has come when they have started throwing tantrums. A toddler arching back and crying is common when they are upset or frustrated. They might start to whine, thrash, or cry with this movement.

Anything can set their mood off. Maybe they are hungry, or they are sleepy or just want to play and dont want to be held. They cannot speak yet, and this might be their way of communicating what they want from you.

Notice, if this is their pattern to let you know they are upset. Ensure they are not hurting themselves, and keep an eye on them.

7. Nerve damage

Sometimes during a difficult delivery, a baby is hurt and the nerves around the back and neck get damaged. Erb’s palsy is something that happens in 1 out of 1000 newborns. This happens when their head is stretched too much during delivery.

This weakens the muscles around the shoulder and neck and causes them to arch their back. However, if there are no symptoms accompanying this then it could be something else.

If you notice reduced movement in their arm or shoulder, then it could be nothing. But they recover from this issue completely.

8. Seizures

Seizures are different in newborns than what it is in adults and older children. Your baby may have seizures or movements that replicate seizures, in the first few weeks after their birth.

This can last for a few seconds, or it might seem like your baby has frozen. Or they could just be moving their wrists.

Moreover, this can happen when a baby is awake or when they are trying to fall asleep. Newborn seizures are not very common but can happen because of their developing brain.

9. Cerebral palsy

This is a muscle control condition and happens to babies when they are still in the womb and they have brain damage. Around 1 out of 323 babies get cerebral palsy worldwide.

You will notice other signs when they are turning into a baby or a toddler. You will notice symptoms like stiffening, reflexes, and floppiness.

They also have difficulty moving their eyes and swallowing. Babies with cerebrum palsy are prone to seizures.

10. Newborn jaundice

More than 50% of babies are born with jaundice. In this condition, the baby develops a yellow tint on their body. This happens when there is excess bilirubin in their blood, as their liver is not working properly.

The bilirubin content is highest in the blood when they are around 3 to 5 days old. It takes about a week for the liver to work things out. However, there are chances that severe jaundice can cause kernicterus.

Baby arching back is a major symptom of brain damage from kernicterus. This is a serious condition, and some of the other symptoms are high-pitched crying, difficulty waking up not sleeping at all, or not eating well.

11. Sandifer syndrome

This condition is related to gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD and once the baby is treated for this, Sandifer syndrome also goes away.

Babies with Sandifer syndrome arch their backs and often remain like that for 3 minutes straight. This movement is often mistaken for seizures. Moreover, this can happen multiple times a day.

Babies often stretch their legs backward and get stiff while arching their back. Some of the other symptoms of this syndrome include:

1. Vomiting
2. Tilting their head on one side
3. Poor feeding
4. Eye movement issue
5. Nodding their head

12. Autism

Baby arching back along with some other signs and symptoms can indicate autism. This is a developmental condition that shows repetitive behavior and babies find it difficult to communicate and interact socially.

With it just arching their back, it might be just their way of asking for attention. However, if it is accompanied by developmental delays, like not responding to their names by 12 months or not engaging in games by 18 months, then you need to consult a doctor.

How To Soothe a Baby Who Is Arching Their Back?

There is not much that you have to do if your baby is arching their back. Try to hold them upright, gently rock them, try to burp them, bathe them, or check if they just want your attention.

They often arch their backs, when they are hungry or gassy, so, try to burp them. However, make sure while checking the process, you are not overfeeding them.

When Should You See a Doctor?

As mentioned earlier, a baby arching back along with some other symptoms could indicate some other symptoms that won’t go away. If you notice any of these signs take your baby to their pediatrician immediately.

1. If your baby is crying for more than 3 hours
2. When your baby refuses to feed
3. If they throw up every time you feed them
4. If they have lost weight or not gaining weight
5. Take them to a doctor if they are getting irritable during feeding
6. If they are wetting their diaper

Moreover, check for some nerve and brain problems. Consult a doctor immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.

• High-pitched cry
• Difficulty in feeding and latching all of a sudden
• Floppiness
• Weak sucking
• Stiffness
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Jerking movements
• If the soft spot on the head has swollen
• Muscle spasms

Managing Back Arching In Babies: Tips & Tricks

Most babies learn to roll over, or when they learn to control their bodies, this issue goes away automatically. However, if they are doing this because of reflux or gassiness, then some simple tips can help the baby. Those are:

1. Do not overfeed
2. Hold your baby upright after you have fed them
3. Feed them often and little
4. Use a smaller ball, or a smaller nipple size to prevent them from gulping air
5. You can even try to thicken the formula or breast milk with a little bit of infant cereal

Frequently Asked Questions

Baby arching back has become a common issue these days. While discussing the topic often come across these questions. The questions are mentioned here.

Conclusion

A baby arching back is probably nothing. However, there could be various reasons behind this, or they could be doing this just for fun. If your baby is healthy, then there is nothing that you have to worry about.

However, in some cases, it could be a symptom of something serious. So, you have to look for the other symptoms and take care accordingly.

If there is something out of the ordinary, then it is best to take the matter to a professional and seek help. Moreover, take them for regular check-ups to know everything is okay with them.