Colic : Causes-Symptoms-Diagnosis-Treatment

World

9 Mar, 2023

What Is Colic?

Colic is whilst a healthy baby cries plenty for a longer time than maximum infants.

All newborns cry and get fussy occasionally. During the first three months of life, they cry more than at any other time. But when a baby who is healthy cries for greater than 3 hours an afternoon, more than 3 days a week, a health care provider might also say the toddler has colic (KOL-ik).

Colic does not mean an infant has any health issues. With time, colic goes away on its own.

Colic

The fact is, all babies cry. It's the fine (and best) way for them to speak their wishes at this soft age. And as dad and mom, we’re biologically programmed to reply so those desires get met.

But in toddlers with colic, the crying starts unexpectedly for no apparent purpose … and has no obvious treatment.

Colic is not a sickness or prognosis however an aggregate of baffling behaviors. It's truly only a capture-all term for immoderate crying in otherwise healthy infants — the trouble being, there’s no technique to it besides the passing of time. And it’s not unusual, happening in roughly 1 in 5 infants.

These fussy periods can cross on for hours at a time, once in a while overdue into the night. Worst of all, try as you would possibly — and attempt you will — it is extraordinarily hard to calm a colicky child, which simplest compounds your personal frustration, worry and exhaustion.

Medical terms

Colic is frequent, prolonged and intense crying or fussiness in a wholesome infant. Colic may be in particular frustrating for parents because the baby's distress happens for no apparent reason and no quantity of consoling appears to convey any relief. These episodes frequently occur within the evening, while mother and father themselves are regularly worn-out.
Episodes of colic normally peak when a toddler is 6 weeks old and decline appreciably after three to four months of age. While the excessive crying will clear up with time, managing colic adds great stress to worrying for your new child.
You can take steps that can lessen the severity and period of colic episodes, alleviate your personal pressure, and bolster self assurance in your determine-baby connection.
time after feeding; however many babies who suffer from colic experience severe discomfort when they are fed or when their diapers are changed The exact cause of this condition is unknown but some experts believe it occurs when babies become overwhelmed with stimuli such as noise and light.

in Babies and Toddlers It’s been said that babies cry because they are hungry or wet or need a diaper change But sometimes their cries seem to be unexplained Colic is the word used to describe an infant’s excessive crying which may occur in infants from two weeks of age up until three months of age In most cases colic is not considered a serious medical problem; it’s rather a condition that’s often manageable.

It may also be colic if, while they are crying:

it's hard to soothe or settle your baby
they clench their fists
they go red in the face
they bring their knees up to their tummy or arch their back
their tummy rumbles or they're very windy

How long does colic last for?

Colic is a condition that causes an otherwise healthy baby to cry continuously for hours on end It is characterized by excessive high-pitched screaming often accompanied by arching of the back and kicking of the legs While colic is not dangerous it can be extremely disruptive and upsetting to both parents and babies Colic is typically defined as lasting more than three hours per day occurring more than three days per week generally starting within the first two weeks after birth and usually ending by four months of age The exact cause of colic is unknown but some researchers believe that it may be caused by stomach gas or sensitivity to cow's milk protein

Symptoms Colic

Colicky infants are wholesome toddlers who've recurrent intervals of inconsolable crying—without apparent cause. These once in a while occur for hours without preventing. The infant can be hard to consolation all through these stretches of time. These periods of fussiness are not linked to hunger or discomfort, and the babies are in any other case everyday. They can also look like they are in pain. They may arch their backs, clench their fists, or pull their legs up to their tummies. In addition, the child's face would possibly flip pink after a protracted duration of crying. Although the infant is fussy and cries, he or she maintains to devour properly and gain weight.

Babies have been acknowledged to fuss and cry, specially in the course of the first three months of lifestyles. The variety for what's taken into consideration ordinary crying is hard to pin down. In general, colic is described as crying for three or greater hours a day, 3 or extra days a week, for three or extra weeks.

Features of colic may consist of the subsequent:

Intense crying that may seem more like screaming or an expression of pain
Crying for no apparent reason, unlike crying to express hunger or the need for a diaper change
Extreme fussiness even after crying has diminished
Predictable timing, with episodes often occurring in the evening
Facial discoloration, such as skin flushing or blushing
Body tension, including pulled up or stiffened legs, stiffened hands, clenched fists, arched lower back, or aggravating stomach

Sometimes there is alleviation in symptoms after the toddler passes gas or has a bowel motion. Gas is likely the result of swallowed air in the course of extended crying.

When to see a doctor

Pediatrics

Excessive, inconsolable crying can be colic or an illustration of an illness or circumstance that causes ache or pain. Schedule an appointment along with your infant's fitness care provider for an intensive exam in case your toddler reviews excessive crying or other signs and symptoms or signs and symptoms of colic.

Causes Colic

While the exact purpose of colic is a mystery, specialists do recognize that it’s no longer the end result of genetics or something that happened for the duration of being pregnant or childbirth. Nor is it any reflection on parenting competencies. And it is also now not anyone's fault.

The reason for colic is unknown. It might also result from numerous contributing elements. While some causes have been explored, it's difficult for researchers to account for all the critical features, including why it typically starts past due inside the first month of lifestyles, the way it varies among babies, why it happens at certain instances of day and why it resolves on its own in time.

Possible contributing elements that have been explored include:

Digestive system that isn't fully developed
Imbalance of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract
Food allergies or intolerances
Overfeeding, underfeeding or infrequent burping
Early form of childhood migraine
Family stress or anxiety

The main cause of colic is indigestion which occurs when a baby's stomach is not large enough to hold the amount of food it needs for effective digestion This causes painful contractions in the digestive tract causing the crying and frequent spitting up that are typical features of colic In severe cases babies can develop acidosis a serious condition that requires immediate medical treatment.

Risk factors Colic

Risk factors for colic are not well-understood. Research has no longer proven variations in hazard while the following elements were taken into consideration:

Sex of the child
Preterm and full-term pregnancies
Formula-fed and breast-fed babies

Infants born to moms who smoked during pregnancy or after delivery have an extended threat of developing colic.

Is colic painful for babies?

Colic is the term used to describe excessive and inconsolable crying in an otherwise healthy baby The more common cause of colic is believed to be from stress including gas pains that cause the baby to be uncomfortable A baby's digestive system works slower than an adult's so a baby may need to pass gas more frequently Parents should try burping their babies more often and ensuring they are drinking enough formula or breast milk to reduce the amount of pain caused by gas Babies may have some relief if placed in a swing held upright for several minutes or given a pacifier soaked in warm water Some colic is due to intestinal problems such as gastroesophageal reflux disease or lactose.

Complications Colic

Colic does not target brief-time periods or lengthy-term medical issues for a child.

Colic is stressful for mother and father. Research has shown an association among colic and the following problems with determine nicely-being:

Increased risk of postpartum depression in mothers
Early cessation of breast-feeding
Feelings of guilt, exhaustion, helplessness or anger

Shaken baby syndrome

Colic is the word used to describe pain in the abdomen caused by trapped wind or cramps. If your baby's crying is accompanied by a swollen stomach you can give them infant drops for colic. The medicine will help to relieve the pain and return your baby's tummy to normal.

The pressure of calming a crying child has on occasion precipitated parents to shake or in any other case harm their toddler. Shaking a child can cause serious harm to the brain and death. The risk of those out of control reactions is more if parents don't have facts about soothing a crying toddler, training about colic and the support wanted for caring for a toddler with colic.

How do you relieve colic in babies?

Colic is a symptom not a disease It can cause babies to cry for hours on end Colic refers to the uncontrollable and often inconsolable crying that occurs in some babies Colic is one of the most common reasons why parents bring their babies to the doctor The good news is that colic usually disappears by age three months although it can continue beyond that point.

Can I give my newborn colic drops?

If you have a colicky baby, discuss giving colic drops with your pediatrician. Some babies are allergic to the ingredients in the drops and these allergies can cause serious problems. Check with your doctor to see if this is a viable option for your baby.

Diagnosis Colic

There’s no test for colic. Your infant’s health practitioner will ask about their symptoms and clinical history.

Your baby's care provider will do an entire bodily exam to identify any possible reasons for your child's distress. The examination will encompass:

Measuring your baby's height, weight and head circumference
Listening to the heart, lungs and abdominal sounds
Examining the limbs, fingers, toes, eyes, ears and genitals
Assessing reaction to touch or movement
Looking for signs of rash, inflammation, or other signs of infection or allergies

Lab checks, X-rays and different diagnostic tests aren't generally wished, however in doubtful instances they help to exclude other conditions as possible causes.

Treatment Colic

Because there’s no clear reason for colic, there’s nobody to remedy. Your infant’s health practitioner will advocate a few matters that would calm them down. Try them separately. If one doesn’t paint after some days, attempt every other.

Colic will get better on its own. You may additionally simply ought to watch for the fussiness to improve when your toddler is ready four months vintage.

The primary dreams are to assuage the kid as a whole lot as possible with a selection of interventions and make certain that mother and father have the aid they need to cope.

Soothing strategies

You can also locate it helpful to have a plan, a list of soothing strategies you could try. You may want to test. Some may fit better than others, and a few may work one time however no longer some other. Soothing techniques can also include:

Using a pacifier
Taking your infant for a car ride or on a walk in a stroller
Walking around with or rocking your baby
Swaddling your baby in a blanket
Giving your baby a warm bath
Rubbing your infant's tummy or placing your baby on the tummy for a back rub
Playing an audio of heartbeats or quiet, soothing sounds
Providing white noise by running a white noise machine, a vacuum cleaner or clothes drier in a nearby room
Dimming the lights and limiting other visual stimulation

Feeding practices

Changes in feeding practices might also provide some relief. Bottle-feed your baby in an upright role and burp frequently all through and after a feeding. Using a curved bottle will assist with upright feeding, and a collapsible bag bottle can reduce the consumption of air.

Trial changes in diet

If soothing or feeding practices aren't reducing crying or irritability, your doctor may also advise a quick-term trial of dietary changes. If your toddler has a food allergy, but, there might likely be other symptoms and signs, along with a rash, wheezing, vomiting or diarrhea. Dietary adjustments may additionally consist of:

Formula changes. If you feed your toddler components, your doctor may additionally recommend a one-week trial of an extensive hydrolysate method (Similac Alimentum, Nutramigen, Pregestimil, others) that has proteins damaged down into smaller sizes.
Maternal diet. If you are breast-feeding, you could attempt a diet without commonplace food allergens, along with dairy, eggs, nuts and wheat. You may attempt removing potentially irritating ingredients, inclusive of cabbage, onions or caffeinated liquids.

Parent self-care

Caring for a little one who has colic may be hard and traumatic, even for skilled parents. The following strategies let you take care of yourself and get the help you need:

Take a break. Take turns along with your spouse or associate, or ask a chum to take over for a while. Give yourself an opportunity to get out of the residence if possible.
Use the crib for short breaks. It's OK to position your infant inside the crib for a while all through a crying episode in case you want to acquire your self or calm your very own nerves.
Express your feelings. It's ordinary for dad and mom in this situation to experience helplessness, depression, responsibility or anger. Share your feelings with your own family, friends and your baby's medical doctor.
Don't judge yourself. Don't measure your success as a figure with the aid of how a lot your toddler cries. Colic isn't always a result of poor parenting, and inconsolable crying isn't a sign of your baby rejecting you.
Take care of your health. Eat healthy foods. Make time for exercise, inclusive of a brisk day by day walk. If you may, sleep while the baby sleeps — even throughout the day. Avoid alcohol and different drugs.
Remember that it's temporary. Colic episodes often improve after age 3 to 4 months.
Have a rescue plan. If possible make a plan with a chum or relative to step in when you're crushed. If vital, contact your fitness care provider, a neighborhood crisis intervention service or a mental fitness help line for extra assistance.

Potential future treatments

One component which can make contributions to colic is an imbalance of the helpful bacteria in an infant's digestive tract. One treatment beneath research is using good microorganisms (probiotics) to create the precise bacterial stability to enhance general digestive health.

Some studies have shown a reduction in crying times whilst infants with colic were treated with a bacterium known as Lactobacillus reuteri. The research has been performed with small corporations, and effects have been quite combined. Most specialists agree there is not sufficient proof at the moment to aid the use of probiotics to treat colic.

Alternative medicine

Several small studies have proven a few benefits or blended effects for alternative remedies. There's not sufficient evidence, however, to choose the ability benefit over the dangers. Alternative treatments under investigation consist of:

Herbal teas
Herbal remedies, such as fennel oil
Sugar water
Gripe water, a mix of water and herbs
Massage therapy
Chiropractic manipulation
Acupuncture

Known risks include the following issues:

Regular use of natural teas or other liquid preparations can also lead to reduced milk consumption or a drop in sodium tiers in a little one's blood.
The lack of product regulation may also bring about contamination, unlabeled substances or inconsistent dosages in natural remedies.
Some homeopathic remedies contain low amounts of potentially toxic substances.

Talk to your baby's care issuer before the use of an opportunity medicine to deal with your little one for colic.

Child medical and psychological care

Preparing for your appointment

It's an amazing idea to put together ahead of time for an appointment along with your child's health care issuer. Here's some information to help you get geared up.

What you can do

To prepare for your appointment, make some notes about:

The time and duration of crying episodes
The age of your infant when the prolonged and recurrent crying pattern began
Observations about your baby's behavior or other factors before, during or after an episode
Your baby's feeding and sleeping schedule
Strategies that you have used to soothe your child
The human beings worried in worrying in your infant, along with the other determine, grandparents, infant sitter or child care center specialists

Write down any extra questions you have about your baby's fitness or development. During your appointment, don't hesitate to invite other questions as they arise to you.

What to expect from your doctor

Your child's care provider is probably to ask a number of questions, including:

Can you describe a typical crying episode?
What does your baby's cry sound like?
Does your baby's body tense up?
When do episodes occur? How long do they last? How many times a week?
What things do you do to try to soothe your baby? How well do those things work?
Does your baby have any problems with eating?
Does the crying happen right after eating?
What do you feed your baby, and how often?
How often and how much does your baby spit up?
How long does your baby sleep at a time? Have there been recent changes in sleep patterns?
Does your baby ever seem to have trouble breathing during these episodes?
How do you cope when your baby is crying? What about the rest of your family?

in Babies: A Solution When a baby cries uncontrollably for long periods of time often more than three hours a day he may be suffering from colic Colic is characterized by excessive crying and fussiness particularly in young infants Crying spells are not necessarily confined to the period of .

Your solutions to these questions can assist your baby's care issuer determine if there are other situations that can be contributing to crying and discomfort.