Crying is very normal among babies. Because they can’t talk yet, they resort to crying whenever they are hungry or uncomfortable. This is one thing that parents have to get used to. And one thing they have to learn is to decipher what the baby needs when it is crying as to remedy the situation. But when the baby is crying uncontrollably with no apparent reason, for long periods of time, he may be having colic. One out of four babies born will likely develop colic. This equally affects both boys and girls. It begins in the first three weeks of birth and may continue up to twelve weeks or longer. Colic appears around the same time each day, usually during late afternoon or in the early evening.
There is no solid evidence as to the cause of colic. But there are several theories that explain how this condition comes about. Before, it was believed to be related to the digestive system and exhibit symptoms like abdominal pain. Some explanations also suggest that colic is a result of the combination of the baby’s temperament and an immature nervous system. Because of the baby’s temperament, he may react to normal things in his surroundings and because of the immature nervous system may not be able to control his crying. Some researches also say that colic may be due to some several factors such as family history of lactose intolerance, the mother’s diet, constipation, conditions of the pregnancy, the use of epidural anesthesia and/or an immature digestive tract.
The parent can tell if the baby has colic if he/she may appear to be in pain. The baby will seem to be not keeping still, moving about in his/her place. They may become red in the face or blue or pale around the mouth if the condition becomes severe. Some cases of the baby refusing to eat may also happen. The parent may also observe that the baby’s belly is hard and bloated, the legs are drawn up, arms are clasped tightly and the baby’s hands and feet are cold.
Though colic is harmless, it may provide discomfort in the home. The parents or the ones taking care of the baby will have a difficulty going about normal activities with the baby’s excessive crying. Treatment is available for baby having colic. There are also techniques or tips to follow to treat colic. If the baby is fed using bottles, it is advisable to use those that are designed to lessen the amount of air that can be swallowed during feeding. These include bottles with a curve, a collapsible bag or bottles with a vent. The mother can also try breastfeeding instead of bottle-feeding. In this case, mothers should check their diet. Certain kind of food should be avoided. Food such as cruciferous vegetables, beans, onions, garlic, apricots, melon, spicy food, caffeine and alcohol are some of these. With families that have a history of lactose intolerance, the mother should eliminate cow’s milk from their diet. Medication is not usually used, but may be taken to relieve abdominal pain. Some remedies of colic are colic drops, gripe water and dimecotine which relieve trapped wind.
Simple techniques have also been proven effective to treat colic. carrying the baby in a front sling or back pack, swaddling the baby, placing the baby in a baby swing, giving the baby a pacifier, a soft massage on the baby’s abdomen or back and playing relaxing music. Babies may also pick up anxiety in the surroundings. It is important for the parent or the one taking care of the baby to feel relaxed or at ease during handling the baby.
