R.T.
I wanted to respond to your follow up...first I agree that you should expect him to use his words and not respond to the crying. As a mom who has just started her daughter in daycare, I would want to know what is going on and would welcome your input. His mom might also be dealing with the same thing and wondering how to handle the situation. A consistent approach at home and at daycare would be more effective in dealing with the problem. And if this is a daycare only issue, his mom might have some advice on how to handle it. I would definitely talk it over with his mom.
Good luck!