Infant Colic

In medical terms "colic" is defined as "persistent inconsolable paroxysmal crying in otherwise healthy infants aged two to sixteen weeks old." It is presumed to be as a result of abdominal pain. There is an associated "rule of three" which gives the following criteria;-

1. Spasms of crying lasting up to three hours.
2. Occurring up to 3 days every week.
3. For Three weeks

Excessive crying is the main feature although some infants cry "excessively" in the evening hours as a non specific reaction to any number of stimuli. This does not necessarily signify colic. It may peak at 6 weeks of age and may simply be a normal phase for the infant to go through.

Infantile colic is considered to be a self limiting condition which resolves in 90% of children within the first four months. 95% of cases resolve by six months. There are many theories about the cause of colic. The most commonly held beliefs are that colic is caused by;-

1. Excessive wind or gas
2. Lactose intolerance
3. Reflux
4. That it is behavioural and  a result of inadequate parent infant interaction which may be due to a difficult maternal experience or a temperamental infant.

When diagnosing Colic there are other things which should be excluded. Parents know their baby best and if they are concerned, then it is important that they are taken seriously. There are a variety of treatments for colic and these vary from changing the infants feeds, to drug treatments which must be prescribed by a doctor.

If you think your child has colic take breaks by using a baby sitter or extended family. Respond quickly to your child's  cry as infants take in large amounts of air when left to cry. Sooth your infant, offer a comforter or dummy as a soothing mechanism. Skin to skin contact can also be soothing and reassuring. Some infants benefit from rocking. There are over the counter solutions which work well for some infants.