Colic In Newborns
Colic In Newborns
Colic in newborns is a common condition that perhaps alarms many new parents as they do not have knowledge about how to deal with it and that it is a natural occurrence.
While handling a baby has its own set of responsibilities, looking after a colicky infant is that much more demanding as the baby's frequent and incessant crying (sometimes as long as 3-5 hours, thrice weekly up to a few months of age) with reddened cheeks and flailing limbs may terrify parents into thinking it a disorder. This is not true; newborn colic is a common condition that many children suffer from, but in order to give it relief, there are some measures caregivers can take to ensure child, and parents both get the rest they need.
There are many medical theories around what causes colic, the popular ones being the baby having an immature digestive system that cannot handle the processing of food outside the mother's womb, the intake of gas-producing food products by the lactating mother that transfers the problem to the infant, a baby ingesting air during breastfeeding, overfeeding, drinking too fast that causes stomach pain and not being burped at intervals.
Colic can be simple and treated with home remedies or severe while require a doctor's intervention through homeopathic or herbal cures that are side-effective free and suitable for infants. However, the important thing for parents to understand is that newborn colic is not something to get scared about and it will eventually disappear after a few months (usually via the time the the child is 4months old or the latest, by 8months of age).
Parents of newborn infants who cry incessantly and frequently should first take care to rule out other reasons for the baby crying so much and screaming and look for specific colic symptoms (red cheeks from too much crying, thrashing arms, and legs, legs curling to the abdomen, etc.) to take the next step for giving baby relief.
There are a host of simple and effective home remedies for caring for a newborn with colic pains, such as holding the baby upright and crooning to it while rubbing its back, rocking it in the parent's arms (parents can take turns to do this), giving it a pacifier or burping it to release some of the gas.
Slowly and gently massaging the baby's tummy with circular motions after ensuring adequate burping is carried out between breast-feeding sessions will ensure no gas-build-up occurs in the baby's tummy and the baby sleeps well.
Playing soothing music and administering Simethicone drops, an accepted treatment for colicky crying and checking for any lactose intolerance or allergen triggers in the lactating mother's diet are other steps parents of newborns can take to prevent colic from playing havoc with a child's comfort.
Colic In Babies
Colic Characterized By Pain In The Stomach
Colic in babies is not a serious ailment, but when confronted with it by new parents who have not had the experience, it is considered by them as devastating mainly because of the severe bouts of crying non-stop for hours. It can be nerve-racking and a parent will go all out to help their child overcome it.
Researchers have not been able to discover what causes colic. They feel it could be an allergy or something that is in the genes. Since there is no cause, there is no cure, but parents who have gone through colic episodes know that it can cause untold suffering to both the baby and the parents.
Colic Symptoms Displayed By Babies
Babies get into a frenzy when they have colic and start screaming so loudly, clenching their fists, and this can go on for hours. A new parent is devastated, to say the least – there is a feeling of utter hopelessness and inadequacy especially if the episode lasts the whole day.
The child gets fussy and irritable. Panic sets in for the new parent, as no amount of comfort seems to help.
Colic usually comes at 3 weeks – in premature babies, the onset is about 2 months. Usually, the peak episodes are at 2 months, and it declines in the 3 rd month and stops in the 4 the month.
Researchers are unable to pinpoint the cause of colic in babies. It could happen to a baby who is otherwise healthy. Some feel that it could be through the genes and parents who have had it as infants could pass it on to their child.
There are signs that occur like crying frequently - it could happen over and over again during the day. Sometimes it could be after a meal and it could take place several times a day making the child restless and angry.
Parents should carefully monitor the baby after a crying bout. The crying will probably cease after the infant has passed gas or had a bowel movement. Till then the child will experience restlessness, and the pain in the abdomen is so intense that the child will bring its legs up to its chest, and clench its fists. Also, the muscles around the stomach area are hard to the touch. The baby will also move its arms and legs wildly, and become red in the face through the sheer exertion of getting rid of the pain. The only thing that parents can do is to keep the baby as comfortable as possible, soothe him with music, hold him close, and provide all the love and care possible.
What Is Baby Colic?
Typically, baby colic is a condition that affects a small baby, only a few months old usually – but it disappears almost within a couple of weeks for lucky children (and parents, who lose out on sleep!) However, there are instances of colicky babies remaining that way till 8 months of age; this is the case mostly with bottle-fed kids but may happen to breast-fed babies, too.
Evening time is most likely to bring on a colicky spell in babies that have a tendency towards the condition.
There are many theories about why babies cry this way and different medical experts have their own take on the reasons underlying child colic: but they are mostly in agreement over parents needing to take it easy with baby colic only being a short term complaint, not a disorder as such, which many misconstrue it as being.
The most definite way to establish the existence of colic complaint in a baby is to rule out all other reasons for crying such as hunger, sleep, or tiredness; for example, if the infant cries more than thrice a week for the same amount of hours every time and for 3 weeks a month, it is most certainly colic.
The most accepted theory of what causes colic in newborn infants is based on the immature digestive system babies have that is still to get adapted to receiving and processing a different food intake – it is most probably their under-developed gastrointestinal system with muscles still learning proper rhythm at processing food effectively through the digestive tract that causes frequent stomach upsets and makes them cry due to the discomfort.
Another medical theory relates infant colic to the lactating mother who may be consuming foods that contain unsafe chemicals that trigger off allergies and digestive tract problems in the baby, resulting in colicky episodes. These food elements that may be responsible for causing bloating, gas etc are typically varieties of cruciferous vegetables and other gas-producing products that are passed on to the infant through breast-milk; besides, children often swallow air when they are being nursed or even when they cry, which further adds to the problem.
Most doctors are unanimous in their explanation that baby colic is a condition that requires little patience and a lot of caring to subside and to allow nature to take its course is the best treatment because as such it cannot be medically treated. Mothers and caregivers looking after the colicky baby can seat it in a comfortable position, rock the baby and generally try out the use of pacifiers and other distracting playthings to calm the baby when it cries or screams due to colic discomfort.
Some mums claim that holding the infant upright will reduce the discomfort while others swear by safe homeopathic remedies that have no side-effects and are allergen-free to serve as a cure for most colic symptoms – so gives it a try!
Published: 05 Oct 20
Last Updated: 05 Oct 20
