Doctors used to think that babies couldn’t feel any pain at all!

That’s all changed now, but a cry can mean anything, from hurt to hunger. Giving drugs carries its risks, so we need to know when and how many painkillers to give to babies.

Using advanced and safe tests, researchers at Oxford University have been looking at the electrical signals reaching the brain to work out how babies experience pain. They know that babies’ brains also behave differently depending on their age.

They’re hoping this research will lead to massive change in how we treat babies, and tell us exactly what drugs will help.