In a healthy infant, colic is characterised by repeated, protracted, and severe crying or fussiness. Because the baby’s distress appears to occur for no obvious reason and because no amount of comforting seems to be able to provide relief, colic can be especially difficult for parents. These incidents frequently happen in the evening, when parents are themselves exhausted.
Colic attacks often peak at around 6 weeks of age and drastically decrease by 3 to 4 months of age. While the persistent sobbing will eventually stop, dealing with colic adds a lot of stress to caring for your newborn baby.
There are actions you may take to perhaps lower the severity and length of colic episodes, reduce your own stress, and increase your trust in your parent-child relationship.
Causes of Colic:
Colic’s underlying cause is unknown. There could be a lot of different contributing elements. Even though several causes have been considered, it is challenging for researchers to explain all the significant characteristics, including why it typically starts later in the first month of life, how it differs among infants, why it occurs at particular times of day, and why it resolves on its own in due course.
The following list of potential causes has been examined:
- Premature digestive system
- Microbial dysbiosis – Bacterial imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract, Food allergies or intolerances
- Feeding too much, too little, or burping infrequently
- Earlier migraine in children
- Maternal stress or Postpartum depression.
Diagnosis for Colic:
The is no test to confirm infantile Colic. The physician for your child will enquire about their signs and past illnesses. The doctor will do a physical examination, paying particular attention to:
- Vitality
- Skin tone
- Weight
- Breathing
- Body temperature
To rule out additional issues, they might request some tests.
Risk factors for Colic:
Unknown risk factors for colic can occur. When the aforementioned elements were taken into account, the research did not reveal any changes in risk:
- Child’s gender
- Pregnancies both preterm and full-term
- infants who are breastfed and fed formula
- Colic is more likely to occur in babies whose moms smoked before, during, or right after giving birth.
Complications for Colic:
A child’s colic does not result in immediate or long-term medical issues.
Parental stress is caused by colic. According to research, the following issues with parent well-being are linked to colic:
- Mothers are more likely to have postpartum depression.
- premature stopping of breastfeeding
- Guilt, fatigue, powerlessness, or fury emotions
Symptoms for Colic:
In particular, during the first three months of life, babies have been known to fuss and wail. It can be challenging to define the range of typical crying. In general, weeping for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week, for three or more weeks is referred to as colic.
Colic symptoms could include the following:
- Intense crying that resembles shouting or another form of display of pain
- Weeping without a clear cause, as opposed to crying to indicate hunger or the need for a diaper change
- Excessive fussiness even after the weeping stops
- Episodes frequently occur in the evening, with predictable timing, and facial discoloration such as skin flushing or blushing
Treatment for Colic:
Colic has no one treatment because its cause is unclear. The doctor for your child will suggest some calming measures. Try each one separately. Try another if the first one stops working after a few days.
The Colic will naturally improve. You might have to wait until your baby is around 4 months old for the fussiness to subside.
To calm your baby, use the following techniques:
- Check to see if they are not hungry.
- If you are breastfeeding, find out from your doctor if any of your prescription medications or diet choices could irritate or aggravate your child’s allergies.
- They shift how they seem. Have them stand or recline. Hold onto them as you go around. Rocking or massaging them.
- Use a pacifier.
- Swaddle your baby.
- Hold them so that your skin touches their exposed skin.
- Utilize white noise—such as from a fan, washing machine, or dishwasher—or a pulse recording.
- Take a drive with them.
- Put them in a swing or a seat with vibrations.
