What Is Colic?
Colic refers to persistent crying of an infant for no particular reason. Colic mostly occurs when a baby is between 1 month and 3 months old. A clinical definition of colic is that a baby cries more than 3 hours a day for more than 3 consecutive weeks and there is no medical reason for crying. Any healthy baby can develop colic. In most cases, babies outgrow colic by 6 months old. The causes for colic are not clear and may vary from case to case. For instance, a baby may develop colic due to a food allergy, intestinal pain, or immature digestive and nervous system. Ten percent of infants suffer from colic.
Symptoms of Colic
Although colic babies can cry at anytime, they tend to cry most in the evening. If your baby has colic, she will cry loudly with her legs drawn up to her chest. Her belly becomes hard due to swallowing too much air and her face becomes red. It may appear that she is in a lot of pain. Make sure that your baby does not cry because of hunger, sleepiness, fever or diseases, before concluding that she has colic.
Treating Colic
You can apply and alternate between different techniques to soothe a colicky baby. Try to soothe her with white noise from the vibrations of a dishwasher or vacuum cleaner. You can also bathe your baby in warm water. Other soothing techniques include driving her around in the car, keeping her moving in a swing and giving her a pacifier. If you breastfeed your baby, consider eating a diary-free diet to reduce the risk that your baby may be allergic to cow's milk. Consult your doctor about medicines like infacol, which may reduce the symptoms of colic.
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