I- Infant crying is normal and will stop. Babies start to cry more frequently from around 2 weeks of age. The crying may get more frequent and longer. After about 8 weeks of age, babies start to cry less each week.

C – Comfort methods can sometimes soothe the baby and the crying will stop. Think about:

• Are they hungry
• Are they tired
• In need of a nappy change

Try simple calming techniques such as singing to the baby or going for a walk. Comforting Your Baby

O – It’s OK to walk away if you have checked the baby is safe and the crying is getting to you. After a few minutes when you are feeling calm, go back and check on the baby.

Parent Relaxation Techniques

N – Never, ever shake or hurt a baby. It can cause lasting brain damage or death. If you are worried that your baby is unwell contact your GP or call NHS 111.

Parents and carers should always be encouraged to speak to their family, friends, GP, health visitor or midwife if they need support.

There are 5 key touchpoints where the ICON message can be shared/reiterated by professionals:

Where and when: Hospital/Home based following birth and prior to discharge.  Research shows this is where the message is more likely to reach men.

Who delivers the touchpoint? Midwives, anyone from the midwifery team, maternity unit volunteers.  It is mainly midwives who prefer to deliver this touchpoint when they discharge the mother and baby from hospital or following a home birth. 

Resources: This includes the provision of the leaflet or the easy-read version and a simple script to get the conversation started is also available.  It usually takes midwives about 6 – 8 minutes to deliver this touchpoint.

If the baby was premature and is being discharged from the Neonatal Unit, the Neonatal team should deliver this touchpoint using the ‘premature baby’ ICON leaflet or the easy-read version.

Where and when: Within the first 10 days, post-discharge, at home.

Who delivers the touchpoint? Community Midwife

Resources: This is a reminder of the ICON basic message, and no resources are necessarily needed.  The midwife may choose to show the parents/carers the ‘Infant crying is normal’ infographic to help reinforce this point. The normal crying curve is also a good resource to help the discussion.

Where and when: Within the first 14 days, the first visit at home by a Health Visitor.

Who delivers the touchpoint? Health visitor

Resources: This is a reminder of the ICON basic message and no resources are necessarily needed.  The Health Visitor may choose to show the parents/carers the ‘Comfort methods can help’ infographic.  A really useful resource that might be used is the ‘Crying Plan’ which could accompany a discussion exploring how the parent/carers are prepared for the rise in crying that is imminent.

Where and when: Around the 3-week period

Who delivers the touchpoint? Health visiting team

Resources: This isn’t normally a time when Health Visitors are routinely in touch with a family but it is a good time to check in with families that they are coping with the possible increase in crying from their baby and are coping.  Some areas are choosing to raise the topic opportunistically at clinics whilst others are proactively sending text messages to both parents/carers as a reminder.

Where and when: At the routine 6/8 week check at the GP surgery

Who delivers the touchpoint? GP and this is sometimes supported by Practice Nurses.

Resources: This is the time the increase in crying is likely to become noticeable.  A reminder of the ICON basic message, provision of the leaflet or easy easy-read version is useful at this point.  GPs are asked to structure their session using the questionnaire included on the members portal.  Although this is a defined touchpoint, many GP practices are using other opportunities during contact with men and women presenting to the surgery who are caring for babies who are crying a lot, to remind them of the ICON message.

These are additional touchpoints supported by ICON resources that any practitioner can deliver:

Opportunistic: Any professional involved with babies can provide opportunistic support/advice using the free resources available on ICON’s website.

Antenatal: This is another good opportunity to engage men in a conversation about normal crying and how to cope with it. It can be delivered by midwives, health visitors or GPs, practice nurses, nursery staff who are aware a new baby is expected etc. Describing Barr’s crying curve and explaining the basic message is often well-received at this point.

Schools: ICON resources include a PSHE (Personal, social, health and economic education) lesson plan and materials designed by teachers for 14 – 16-year-olds. Some of these pupils will have siblings who are babies, may babysit or may soon become or are already parents. The purpose of this lesson is to enhance the public health messaging around the normal crying behaviour of babies, when and where to seek help and advice and the dangers of shaking a baby. It can be delivered by teaching staff or health professionals.

Did you know?

• 95% of all childhood burns and scalds happen at home. Most are caused in the day-to-day situations that many parents don’t anticipate, like children reaching a hot drink or grabbing hair straighteners.
• Young children don’t automatically pull away from something that’s burning them.

Safe from burns fact sheet*

Burns and scalds

Did you know?

• Each day around 40 under-5s are rushed to hospital after choking on something or swallowing something dangerous. Food is the most likely cause, but small objects and toys can also be risky for young children.
• 30 babies and toddlers have died from blind cord strangulation in the last 15 years.
• Asphyxia (which also includes choking and strangulation) is the third most common cause of child accident deaths in the UK. Most of these accidents happen to children under 5.

Choking, strangulation, and suffocation fact sheet*

Choking

Strangulation

Suffocation

Did you know?

• Because of the heights of children and dogs, children are more likely to be bitten on the head and face area (76 per cent bites to lips, nose, or cheeks), and therefore suffer more serious, life-threatening injuries than adults who are bitten (10 per cent bites to head or neck)
• Any breed of dog can pose a risk of causing an injury to a person, however there are four breeds currently outlawed in the UK, these include: Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, DogoArgentino and Fila Brasileiro.
• Any dog with even the mildest temperament can bite in any given situation and children are often bitten by dogs they know within their own home or those of family members and friends

Dogs and Children: CAPT's top tips to keep them safe and happy together

Child safety around dogs - Fact Sheet

Your dog and a new baby - Fact Sheet

Did you know?

• Every day, 45 children under five are admitted to hospital following a serious fall. Stumbles are to be expected, but more serious falls which lead to head injuries can have a lifelong impact.
• Falls are one of the most common causes of childhood accidents.
• Falls are also a serious risk for older children. Each year, around 27,000 children aged 5-14 are admitted to hospital after a fall.

Free from falls fact sheet*

Falls

Did you know?

• Last year, 215 people lost their lives due to a fire at home. Many of these tragedies could have been prevented.
• You are 8 times more likely to die from a fire if you don't have a working smoke alarm in your house.
• The simplest and most effective way to prevent death and injury from house fires is to have a working smoke alarm on every level of the home.

Fire safe families fact sheet*

Fire safety

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) provide free safe and well visits (previously called a home fire safety check) to help people stay safe and reduce the risk of fire in the home.

During the visit WFRS will provide fire safety advice, check that smoke alarms are working and replace/install new ones if needed.
If you would like to apply for a safe and well visit or would like further information on fire safety, visit: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafety

Did you know?

• Child-resistant tops and strip and blister packs for tablets help to slow children down but they are not childproof.
• Swallowing medicines, like everyday painkillers that you might keep in your handbag or bedside cabinet, is the most common way for children to be poisoned.
• The detergent capsules and concentrated liquids under the kitchen sink can harm children too – they can cause accidental poisoning but also squirt into the eyes and cause damage. The capsules come in boxes that aren’t child-resistant.

Prevent poisoning fact sheet*

Poisoning

E-Cigarettes

Did you know?

• More than half of serious accidents happen between 3pm and 7pm, coinciding with after-school hours.
• Children find it difficult judging the speed and distance of traffic until they’re at least 8 years old.
• Accidents peak around age 12 when children are starting to make independent journeys, such as walking to school alone.
• Children and young people are 3.5 times more likely to die if hit by a car doing between 30-40 mph.

Safe around roads fact sheet*

In car safety

Pedestrian safety

Did you know?

• A drowning child can’t speak or control their arms. They slip quietly under the water.
• At home, younger children are most likely to drown in the bath or garden pond.
• Babies drown silently in as little as 5 cm of water.
• Older children can still get into difficulties when swimming in open water, beaches and public swimming pools. They may over-estimate how strong a swimmer they are or under-estimate risks in the sea or open water.

Watch out in water fact sheet*

Drowning

Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service are urging people to take extra care while walking or playing near frozen bodies of water. Whilst the lake or body of water may look frozen, it may not be solid enough to hold any weight and in situations involving pets, where people go in to rescue them, or children who may not see the dangers present, the situation can quickly change.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are encouraging parents and carers to talk to children about the dangers of frozen bodies of water and why it is important for them to stay safe to avoid tragedy.

“Our advice is to keep away from frozen water and enjoy the winter weather safely.”

Read the full statement here

The following article contains helpful advice for site managers on how to avoid ice related injury - RoSPA Advice