Image description. Better Health Channel logo End of image description.

Colic
Somebabiesatsometimesbetweentheagesofabouttwoweeksand16weeksgothrougha periodofhavingunexplainedandregularcryingeachday.Theseboutsofcryingmaylastforthree hoursormore,andoccurmostlyintheafternoonsandevenings.Thebabyseemstobesuffering fromabdominalpain.Thisiscommonlyknownascolic,andaroundoneinthreebabiesare affected.Usually,cuddlingortryingtosoothethebabyscriesdoesnotwork. Thecauseisunknown,butcolicstops-withouttreatment-afterafewweeks.Somestudieshave foundthatparentsunderstressaremorelikelytoconsidertheirchildascolicky,butitmustbe rememberedthatcolicisverystressfultolivewith,anditisveryimportantnottoblamea stressedparentforthecrying. Symptoms of colic Colictendstoappearinthefirsttwotofourweeksoflife,andpeaksataroundsixtoeightweeks ofage.Usually,thebabyseemsquitehappyuntilthelateafternoonorearlyevening.Symptoms include: Frowningandgrimacing Reddeningoftheface Thebabymaypullupitslegs,suggestingstomachpains Loudandlongscreamingfits Loudtummyrumblings Thebabycannotbeconsoled Thecryinglastsforthreehoursormore Thebabypasseswindorfaeces(poo)aroundthetimethecryingstops,whichcouldbe coincidental Thebabyrecovers,nonetheworsefortheexperience

Ima ge des crip

The cause is unknown Despitemuchresearchintothiscommoncondition,thecauseofcolicremainsunknown.Thereare manytheories,however,including: Maternal diet-certainfoodsinthemothersdietmaycausesymptomsoffoodallergyor intoleranceinherbreastfedbaby.Somestudieshavefoundthatparticularfoodseatenby themotherincludingcabbage,cauliflower,broccoli,chocolate,onionsandcowsmilkcan causeanattackofcolicinherbreastfedinfant. Maternal social drug-taking-caffeineandnicotineinbreastmilkhavebeenlinkedto infantirritability,sincethebabysbodyisntabletoefficientlygetridofthesesubstances. Feeling of fullness-babiesmayoverreacttotheunfamiliarsensationsofgasorfullness, andinterpretthesefeelingsaspainfuloralarming. General immaturity-babiesmaytakeafewmonthstoadjusttolifeoutsidethewomb.

However,somebabieshavecolicwhennoneofthesefactorsseemtobethecause. Medication Itisnotclearhowusefulmedicinesforcolicare.Colicgetsbetterbyitself,oftenquitesuddenly, whetheryouuseanymedicinesornot.Medicationscanalsomakebabiesmoresleepy,whichcan bedangerous. Ifyouuseanymedications,youshouldseeyourdoctorfirsttocheckyourbabyshealth. Gripewaterisagenerictermforliquidsthatclaimtoeasegas,digestionandothercolicky symptoms.Differentformulascontaindifferentingredientsincludingsomeherbalingredients. Thereisnoevidencethatgripewatercanimprovecolicinbabies,andsuchproductsshouldonly beusedinconsultationwithyourdoctor.

Colic

Page1of3

Diet Changingthedietofababyisonlyofprovenbenefitforcolicifthebabyhaslactoseintoleranceor cowsmilkallergies.Removingthesubstancesfromboththebabysandthemothersdietmaybe helpful.Thisshouldonlybedonewithhelpfromadoctor,toensurenutritionalneedsofboth motherandbabyaremet. Itmaybeusefultoreducetheamountofcaffeineamotherishavingthroughcoffee,tea,colaor otherdrinksandfoods.Brewedcoffeeandenergydrinkscontainparticularlyhighlevelsofcaffeine. Inrecentyearstherehasbeenalotofinterestingoodbacteria(suchaslactobacillus acidophilus) versusbadbacteriainthegut.Babies,especiallyiftheyarebreastfed,arelikelytohaveplentyof lactobacillus acidophilus.Someinfantformulasnowhaveaddedlactobacillus(probiotics)butthis doesnotseemtomakealotofdifferenceforbabieswithcolic. Medical diagnosis is important Acryingbabyneedstobecheckedbyadoctor,tomakesurethereisnohealthproblemcausing painordiscomfort.Thereisnotestforcolic,sotheonlywaytobesurethatitisprobablyonly colicistohavethebabycheckedbyadoctor. How to help a crying baby Byholding,strokingorrockingyourbaby,theinfantislearningthatyouarethereforthem,evenif yourbabyisnotabletocalmdownyet.Trythefollowingideas,whichmayhelptocalmyourbaby: Respondquicklyifyourbabyiscrying.Thismaymeanthattheywillcrylesslateron. Cryingbabiestendtoarchtheirbacksandstiffentheirlegs.HoldingthemcurledinaC(or flexed)positionhelpstocalmthemdown. Checkthatyourbabyisnottoohotorcoldoruncomfortableinsomeway. Wrappingorswaddlinginacottonsheetcanbecalming. Manybabiessoothethemselvesbysucking,soadummycanbehelpful,onceyourbreast milksupplyisgoingwell. Rockingandpattingcanhelpsootheababy. Softlightingcanalsohelpsomebabies,whomaybedistressedbyharshlights. Babyslingsaregreattoprovidecomfortandcontactifthebabyneedstobeheld. Deepbathsandgentlemassagerelaxsomebabies,buttheyoftendonthelpifyourbaby isalreadycrying. Softmusicornoisethathasabeatorrhythm,suchasaloudclock,mayhelp. Youmaybetryingtoohardtocalmthebaby(toomuchbouncing,pattingandburping). Putyourbabydownsomewheresafeforawhileandseeiftheysettle. Takethebabyforawalkinapramorasling,orforarideinthecar.Youmightfind yourselfgoingoutformanyridesinthecarforacoupleofweeks,butthiswillnotlast foreverandmanybabiesseemtofindithelpsthemcalmdown.Dontdriveifyouaretoo stressedtodrivesafely.

Youmayfindatechniquethatconsolesyourbabysomeofthetime.Ifeverythinghasbeentried andyourbabystillcries,trytojustholdthem.Yourbabywillsensethatyouareofferingcomfort, evenifthecryinggoeson.Arockingchairisgreatforthis. Distress management Caringforascreamingbabywhocantbesoothedisextremelydistressing.Ifyoufeelthatyouare gettingtooupset,youneedtotakesometimeouttocalmdown.Suggestionsinclude: Putyourchildinasafeplace,suchasacot,andleavetheroom. Walkaroundthehouseorgooutside. Relaxyourbodybydroppingyourshoulders,clenchingandunclenchingyourfistsand stretchingyourback,armsandlegs. Haveadrink(tea,coffeeorcooldrink)andsomethingtoeat,ifyoucanmanageit. Dosomethingphysicallikerunning.

Parents need support Whileyourchildiscolicky,youneedtoworkoutcopingstrategies.Suggestionsinclude: Taketurnswithyourpartner(ifyouhaveone)tolookafterthebaby,andgooutsidefora break.

Colic

Page2of3

Whenyouareoffduty,distractyourselfperhapswithmusicplayedloudenoughtodrown outthenoiseofcrying(aportableplayerwithearplugsisgoodforthis). Askfriendsorrelativesforsupport.Letthemholdyourbabywhileyourbabyiscrying. Theycanmanagethisforashorttime,knowingthatyouarehavingabreak,andthatyou willbeabletotakeoveragainsoon. Talkoveryourexperienceswithotherparentsandsharecopingstrategies. SeekadvicefromyourMaternalandChildHealthnurseanddoctor. Rememberthatcolictendstogoawayafterafewweeks.

Where to get help Yourdoctor MaternalandChildHealthnurse TheMaternalandChildHealthLineisavailable24hoursadayTel:132229forthecostof alocalcallthroughoutVictoria. Otherparents,andyourparents Friendsandrelatives.

Things to remember

Infantcolicisregularunexplainedcryingfitsthatusuallylastforatleastthreehours. Thecauseisunknown,buttheoriesincludeimmaturityofthebowel,foodallergiesand gasorwind. Colictendstogoawaywithouttreatmentafterafewweeks.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

BetterHealthChannel

Copyight 1999/2009StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel(www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)at nocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth.Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthe copyrightareprohibitedwithoutpermission. ThisBetterHealthChannelfactsheethaspassedthrougharigorousapprovalprocess.Forthelatestupdatesandmore informationvisitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au.

Colic

Page3of3