Colic
(Infantile Colic)
In this condition factsheet:
The Facts on Colic
It's appropriate that we should still call this condition by its medieval name "colic," since we know as much about its causes today as we knew 800 years ago.
A colicky baby is one who cries a lot and can't easily be pacified. Though there isn't a full agreement on the definition of colic, a common one is that if an otherwise healthy baby cries for more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week for at least 3 weeks, it's colic. Colic affects boys and girls equally, and the incidence is also similar between breast and formula fed infants, as well as full term and preterm infants. It tends to appear in the first 6 weeks of life, up to the age of 3 to 4 months.
Causes of Colic
There is no evidence that colic is caused by a disease. Colicky babies are typically healthy and full of energy. There has been much research to find what it is that makes colicky babies cry, but the answer remains elusive. Even after extensive testing, no medical causes have been found. One theory is that an underdeveloped digestive tract is responsible. Others blame abdominal gas, food allergies, or noise and distractions interfering with sleep. By looking at the various remedies that have been found to help, research suggests that some crying is just a matter of temperament or nervous system maturation. True abdominal issues, including being gassy, or acid reflux probably account for under 5% of cases. The best we can now say is that some babies just cry a lot at this age.
Other factors that have been found in some cases to have an influence on babies include:
- swallowing air when feeding, especially if drinking from a bottle while lying down
- an allergy to cow milk proteins found in formula or passed to the baby through breast milk (when mothers drink cow milk products, proteins from cow milk can be excreted into the breast milk)
- an intolerance to certain foods eaten by the mother (and passed to the baby through breast milk)
- overfeeding by parents who think the baby is crying due to hunger, rather than just needing to suckle (e.g., on a pacifier)
Symptoms and Complications of Colic
The crying of a colicky baby is often high-pitched, grating, and piercing, even compared to normal infant crying. Neither food nor attention can stop it. Your baby's face may be red, the fists may be clenched, and the knees may be tucked up into the abdomen.
The crying goes on for at least an hour, and sometimes as long as 4 hours. It often starts at the same time each day, usually late afternoon or early evening (unfortunately, when the parents are most tired). Sometimes, the baby passes gas or a stool shortly before or after calming down.
Colic is generally at its worst around the age of 4 to 6 weeks. If your baby is still colicky after 3 months, or cries nonstop for more than 3 or 4 hours, some other condition may be causing real discomfort and you should take the baby to the doctor. You may want to take your baby to the doctor when colic first appears, just for a checkup to ensure you are not overlooking something that can be effectively treated, especially if this is your first baby.
Always see the doctor if your baby has a fever, becomes lethargic, irritable, vomits more than 5 times a day (especially if vomit is green or bloody), has difficulty breathing, has poor weight gain, or has bloody stools.
