Baby & Pregnancy : Baby Colic

Colic is a condition where a baby cries for more than three hours per day for more than three days per week. Although it is said to cause no harm to the child, it can be very stressful and worrying for parents and carers. There is no known cause of colic, only speculation, but measures exist that can ease the condition.

Colic Symptoms and possible causes

Colic affects between ten and twenty percent of babies. It usually occurs at about two to four weeks of age, and affects both genders whether first born or later. The condition can last up to three months, sometimes longer. A doctor should be consulted if the baby appears to be crying more than they probably should, before assuming he or she has colic.
The symptoms of colic can be:
• Uncontrollable crying for long periods. The crying is often at the same time or times of day, and quite often that time is early evening.
• The baby may clench fists and pull his or her feet up to the stomach.
• Sometimes babies won’t eat, or may have sleeping difficulties.
• The baby may become red faced, have bowel pains, a rumbling stomach and pass a lot of wind.
It used to be thought that colic was caused by trapped gas in the digestive system resulting in abdominal pain. Although this theory can by no means be entirely ruled out, there is not enough substantial evidence to suggest that the condition is gastrointestinal in origin. Current speculative theories for the cause of colic include:
• The combined effects of the baby’s sensitive temperament, immature nervous system and the environment. These factors together with the baby’s inability to control the crying, once begun, lead to the condition.
• Lactose intolerance.
• The start of melatonin production. The pituitary gland which produces this “master hormone” does not begin to do so until 12 weeks of age (around the time colic usually disappears).
• A possible connection with increased third trimester stress levels in the mother.

Treatment - baby colic relief

There is no standard medical treatment for colic for doctors to adhere to. The only medication that may be prescribed would be to treat some of the symptoms. Many doctors simply advise that the condition be left to run its course. There are things that can be done to help with colic. Some methods work for some people but not for others.
Doctors may prescribe simethicone (e.g. Infacol) to help relieve trapped wind. Other more traditional remedies such as gripe water may help. Various baby soothing methods exist which can help comfort and quieten a colicky baby. They include:
• Motion. Use of rocking and swinging methods and devices from cradling the baby and rocking gently in a parents lap, to the use of baby swings and rocking chairs.
• Use of a sling. Carrying the baby in a front sling can be an aid to comfort. Movement and body heat could help ease the problem.
• Swaddling the baby in a blanket.
• Sound. From gentle music and singing, to white noise recordings and the drones and vibrations of domestic appliances like vacuum cleaners and washing machines. Many parents say that such methods have worked for them.
• Taking a walk or a car journey.
• Mother and baby having a shower together. The warm flowing water and body contact may help.
• Massaging the baby’s stomach can help him or her pass wind.

There may be certain baby feeding issues which could be addressed to try to help with colic. Bottle feeding mothers could try changing the formula. Some have tried switching to soya milk to alleviate colic, though there is no hard evidence of its efficacy, and there are some concerns over possible delayed side effects. Other tactics with bottle feeding centre on lessening the possibility of the child taking air in with the milk. Methods for avoiding this include changing feeding position, and using different types of feeding bottle, e.g. curved or vented bottles.
Breastfeeding women may consider dietary changes to avoid passing on anything that could give the baby wind. A selection of foods which can cause wind are:
• Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and parsnip.
• Spicy foods.
• Garlic, onions, beans, melon and apricots.
• Caffeine.
• Alcohol.
Lactose intolerance is a possible cause of colic. Lactose is a sugar found in milk which, if not properly broken down, can cause digestive system problems. As has already been stated, bottle feeding parents sometimes try switching to a different milk formula. This would be the method to use if lactose intolerance was a suspected cause. Health care professionals may advise a low lactose formula or introducing the enzyme lactase into the formula to break down lactose. Breast fed babies could also be given lactase. If the result of trying this approach was successful, parents would most likely be advised to continue the tactic for the three months that colic usually lasts for, before gradually changing back. A similar approach would be used if sensitivity to cow’s milk was suspected. Bottle feeders would switch to a hypoallergenic formula, while breast feeding mothers would eliminate cow’s milk from their diet.
Of the numerous methods for treating colic, there is no universally accepted one that works for everyone. It should be born in mind that the apparent effectiveness of some of these methods may come from people who were trying them out just at the time that the colic would clear up naturally anyway. There are a number of herbal remedies available for colic, however, such preparations may not be have been clinically tested or adequately regulated, so caution is advised. Prior to consulting a doctor regarding a crying baby, it is best to first rule out any other possible cause (e.g. nappy rash, tiredness, hunger or the child’s temperature). It would also be helpful to have details of when the baby cries, sleeps and eats, as well as any information on their bowel movements.