Which behavioral response indicates pain in a newborn?

Prepare for the Comfort EAQ. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Ace your exam!

Crying is a primary behavioral response that indicates pain in a newborn. It serves as a crucial communication tool for infants, signaling discomfort, distress, or pain to caregivers and healthcare providers. Newborns do not have the capacity to articulate their feelings, so crying becomes a significant indicator of their internal state.

In the context of assessing pain, crying can vary in intensity and duration, reflecting the severity and nature of the discomfort. Neonates may exhibit different types of cries; a high-pitched or intense cry often suggests greater pain, while a whimper may indicate milder discomfort.

Other options, while they may occur in response to pain or other stimuli, do not specifically point to pain as clearly as crying does. Sleepiness can be a sign of various conditions or a normal state, feeding refusal might indicate a range of issues beyond just pain, and breathing changes may occur under numerous circumstances, not exclusively pain-related. Therefore, crying stands out as the most direct and understood response indicating pain in a newborn.

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