Why Do Babies Roll Their Eyes? Is It Normal?

why babies roll their eyes: is it normal?

Its reason, symptom, or other relevant issues may make you worried, isn’t it? It’s natural because parents are most optimistic about their beloved child. 

Even if you are a new parent, any simple behavior of your baby makes you enough worries.

However, now you may be searching for information about why babies roll their eyes. 

Though rolling eyes is a simple issue for you because we may sometimes roll our eyes to show our displeasure. Yet when your little one does that, the big question is why they do that, or is it normal?

Anyway, rolling the eyes may be normal behavior of your baby at the time of their sleeping or breastfeeding.

They may also roll their eyes until the visual system or eye muscles develop fully. But in some cases, it happens due to severe health problems such as fever, seizures, neurological disorders, head injuries, etc. 

So if you notice your baby rolling their eyes more than five times a day with some sign, you should contact your baby’s pediatrician. 

Why do babies roll their eyes?

Sometimes a baby shows us some funny movements through their face. They are so eager to observe new things from their surroundings. 

Among these, eye-rolling is one of the movements that they can do. Naturally, babies repeat some movements that make us happy. 

So sometimes they may roll their eyes to make us happy. However, it is a common movement, but it may also happen due to some serious illness. Here we describe some reasons for rolling a baby’s eyes.

The familiar reason is that they can do it. When we laugh to see funny behavior, a baby repeats it for our happiness because she likes to see us happy.

Even they may roll their eyes when they feel tired, bored, or in a nap and slumber.

Babies roll eyes cause of injuries and illness:

Your baby may roll their eyes back due to head injuries and neurological disorders. If somehow your infant falls off the bed or something like that happens and has a spot on the head, they may roll their eyes.

They also can roll their eyes if they suffer from:

• Seizures
• Fever
• Low blood sugar(hypoglycemia) etc.

If you notice your baby rolling their eyes with unusual body movements, it may be a symptom of seizures.

Anger and frustration

Some children roll their eyes while they are in anger and frustration. When they feel displeasure, they may roll their eyes.

Yet, when they feel anger, sometimes they bang their heads against the floor or wall, and even they may hit themselves. Here is why parents should come to know their baby’s angry solutions.

Before sleep

Before they sleep, you may notice their eye-rolling. Before they sleep, you may notice their eye-rolling. During that time, infants may feel tired and roll their eyes with droopy eyes. 

Anyway, here we also include some reasons to roll their eyes back while sleeping, breastfeeding and make eye contact, eating etc. So, let’s see:

Why do babies roll their eyes while breastfeeding: is it normal?

From the above discussion, we know some of the reasons for rolling babies’ eyes. Yet, a question also exists, why do babies roll their eyes while breastfeeding? 

Actually, in some cases, babies roll their eyes while breastfeeding. It is a normal phenomenon to roll their eyes just like baby make humming noise during breastfeeding.

In fact, the baby may roll its eyes due to

• Head injuries
• Neurological disorders
• Seizers
• Hypoglycemia
• Fever etc.

Whatever else, it is totally normal when children roll their eyes at the time of breastfeeding. Actually, it means they are nodding off to sleep, or it seems they get enough milk. Then rolling eyes may be the revelation of their happiness. At the same time, the baby’s eyebrows may go red sometimes while breastfeeding.

Why do babies roll their eyes back while sleeping?

A newborn’s eyesight and eye muscle are very weak at the first stage. So they need some time to mature and adjust to the world. 

At this time, they may roll their eyes upwards, or other eye movements may usually happen. About six months later, they focus on an object as their eye development is coordinated.

In addition, when they are sleeping or breastfeeding, they may roll their eyes. It is also simple eye movements.

You may notice your baby rolling their eyes when they are sleepy. It mainly occurs between the transitional period of sleep and wakefulness. 

However, your baby may also roll their eyes when they awake or fall asleep. It may be slow or repeated closing and opening of their eyes.

Why do babies roll their eyes back in their heads?

Sometimes baby rolls their eyes back in their heads. In that case, you may be concerned about what it means. No need to worry about that.

It is also simple when baby rolls their eyes back in their head. They may be doing it for the following reasons.

• They’re stimulated.
• Children may be physically tired.
• If they are in the stage of waking up or starting to fall asleep.
• baby roll their eyes when eye discharge

So in this time, their eyes will roll back in their heads under drooping eyelashes. Even they may yawn, stretch or shake their legs and arms.

Should you worry if your baby rolls their eyes?

Though it is a typical eye movement for a newborn baby, it causes concern in some cases.

At birth, a newborn can’t focus directly on an object. So they may roll their eyes, sometimes crossing and wandering outwards. 

That seems to be their rolling eyes, and after six months, it naturally goes away. Then your baby can focus directly on any objects and detect color.

But when parents notice their babies eye-rolling along with seizures, fever, or other diseases, they should fast take the infants to an eye specialist for a test.

What to do when your infants roll their eyes?

As a parent, you may be worried or concerned about seeing the eye movement of your little one. So it will be better to consult with your eye specialist. 

Yet before this appointment, you may do one thing. You may maintain a diary or close eye on your baby’s eye movements. 

So that you can find out why little one rolls their eyes and when or how often they do it. You may also create a note of any other symptoms of disease along with rolling eyes.

Then if needed, you can consult with a doctor and inform them of things that are happening with your baby.

When to seek a professional?

You should consult your healthcare provider if you notice your baby’s eye-rolling with some severe sign. If your baby rolls their eyes due to a pathological disorder, it may make you worried.

As a parent, you must take care of your babies and log to their eye movements. If you see the warning sign, you must seek a doctor such as:

• Shivering
• Limb stiffening
• Irregular breathing
• Prolonged crying
• Increased irritability
• Change in skin color or other signs

These signs may occur due to seizures and may be responsible for your baby’s head traumas. 

So if you notice these symptoms, fast consult a doctor to avoid any unwanted situation.

Related post: When do baby moan when they are eating?

Frequently asked questions:

In the bottom line:

So I think now, you can observe why babies roll their eyes and are even aware of its causes, symptoms, etc. Though your baby rolls their eyes, it is normal in some circumstances. 

Whatever the reason, you first observe your baby’s movement. If you find the usual sign of rolling their eyes, you do not need to worry.

But, while they always or often do it with some heavy warning signs, you must consult with an eye care provider. 

However, your lovely baby may roll their eyes due to their normal development or neurological disorder. In contrast, it will be a sign of severe health problems. 

So don’t take any risks.  It will be better to consult with a doctor as soon as possible. Anyway, keep a close eye on them to avoid any unwanted situations. Also, focus on growing beautiful eyelashes.