Colic is a condition in which a newborn starts sudden and unexplained outburst of inconsolable crying or displays symptoms of distress. Many children during their first to fifth month of their life present the symptom of being colicky during which they cry in an uncontrollable manner at a specific time in a day, particularly in evening. It`s not actually a disease, and it does not even harm your baby, but it`s really difficult to deal with the situation for both babies and parents. As this condition occurs suddenly, it goes off in a similar manner after two-three months or can be extended up to 12th month.
Causes:
The periods of crying increases suddenly during a specific time within a day. Under this condition, a healthy and happy baby starts crying abruptly. Well, the exact cause that starts off colic in babies is still unknown but some commonly believed causes are excessive air intake during feeding or crying, overfeeding or underfeeding, allergic reactions, a sudden change in the diet of nursing mothers, acid reflux or GERD, over-stimulation, etc. Fatigue and excitement could also result in colic conditions. Experts believe that many factors contribute to colic pain or discomfort, when occurring in combination. The immature digestive and nervous system of newborns could also be one of the contributing factors to colicky infants.
Symptoms:
Many babies suffer from colic, and it is not uncommon watching episodes of sudden crying or discomfort in your baby. If you believe that your baby is becoming colicky, look for these symptoms:
- S/he cries vigorously for long duration, and no efforts prove significant to console her/him
- Repetition of symptoms at the same time each day or night and symptoms appear and disappear abruptly
- Signs of abdominal bloting or gas discomfort
- Ggastric and intestinal pains
- Hard and distended stomach
- Fussing during eating
- Excess sleepiness or irritability
As an infant can`t explain his condition or pain, these symptoms would help you in recognizing if s/he is colicky.
Parents found difficult to deal with the situation as colic and months of distress left them and their baby frustrated and exhausted. As it may last for months, incomplete sleep and periods of sudden outbursts make parents worried. They try different remedies to ease the condition. Well, to make the condition really better, parents should keep a record of his crying episodes:
- Time of occurrence and some possible triggers that call it on and off
- Potential location from where pain starts
- The condition of the baby during the episode
- Does he passes a lot of gas
- Frequency of bowel movements
- Some other unique conditions
When you meet your pediatric, let him know about these conditions for effective treatment.