All babies cry from time to time. However in some cases when the baby cries for an extended period of time, infantile colic may be suspected.
What is an infantile colic?
Infantile colic, also known as baby colic, is the frequent, prolonged and intense crying or fussiness in a healthy baby. To differentiate infantile colic from ordinary crying, the following scenario is fulfilled:
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There is a continual or persistent bout of intense crying in babies without any apparent reason.
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This typically lasts between 2 to 4 hours a day for at least 5 days a week and usually begins at about 2 or 3 weeks of age and subsides by 3 to 4 months.
Infantile colic can be particularly frustrating for parents because the baby cries for no apparent reason and no amount of consoling seems to bring any relief. These episodes often occur in the evening, when parents themselves are often tired.
Other features of infantile colic can include facial discoloration, such as reddening of the face or paler skin around the mouth, as well as bodily tension that manifested as pulled up or stiffened legs, stiffened arms, clenched fists, arched back, or tense abdomen.
What causes infantile colic?
The cause of colic is unknown. It may result from numerous contributing factors. For questions such as why it usually begins late in the first month of life, how it varies among infants, why it happens at certain times of day and why it resolves on its own in time -- researchers don’t have certain answers yet.
Here are the possible causes of infantile colic:
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Upset gastrointestinal/digestive system, such as allergy to cow’s milk, lactose intolerance, an incomplete absorption of carbohydrate due to immature gut which leads to excessive gas production, as well as discomfort caused by abdominal gas.
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Inappropriate feeding technique, such as feeding too little times, feeding too many times or not enough burping.
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Mothers who smoked during pregnancy or after birth delivery increases the risk of infantile colic.
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The baby has yet to develop a mature central nervous system, which may cause them to be hypersensitive to environmental stimuli.
How should infantile colic be treated?
There is no definitive cure for infantile colic. It would usually resolve on its own in 3 to 4 months time. However, excessive and persistent baby crying can add tremendous stress to the parents. It can also lead to increased risk of postpartum depression in mothers, early stopping of breastfeeding and invoking feelings of guilt, exhaustion and anger among the parents. These stresses can even prompt the parents to shake or otherwise harm their children, which can cause serious damage to the brain and death, otherwise known as shaken baby syndrome. Shaken baby syndrome can happen because the parents do not have enough information on how to soothe a child or education about infantile colic.
Here are something parents can do in reaction to excessive baby’s crying:
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If your baby is bottle-feeding, avoid excessive air swallowing during feeding and ensure proper teat size and technique and adequate burping.
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If your baby is breastfeeding, continue to do so but avoid certain foods e.g. cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and caffeine in mother’s diet as this may precipitate a colicky attack in the baby.
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Purchase medication that contains dimethicone for relief of wind in the babies. However they have not been proven by scientific evidence to be effective. Nevertheless it is worth a try if all other methods do not seem to provide reliefs for the baby. Kindly consult a healthcare professional before starting any medications for your baby.
Infantile colic does not cause any lasting harm in the babies. However, do consult a healthcare professional if you are not sure whether your baby is experiencing infantile colic.
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