Colic

What is colic?

Colic is a term used when a baby cries frequently and intensely and is difficult or impossible to soothe. There is disagreement among experts about a definition for colic, or if the term colic should even be used. Colic is sometimes diagnosed by the "rule of three": crying about three hours per day, at least three times per week, for at least three weeks straight. The excessive crying typically begins between 2 and 4 weeks of age and peaks by about 6 weeks of age. After that, the colicky behaviour tapers off, usually ending by three or four months of age.

Some babies with colic may appear as if they are in pain. They may tend to stretch out their arms and legs, stiffen, and then draw in their arms and legs tightly to their bodies.

Facts about colic

• Estimates of the occurrence of colic vary greatly, but most range from 5% to 25% of babies.
• Crying is most frequent in the late afternoon or evening.
• Any baby can become colicky. It does not mean there is anything wrong with your baby. Babies who have colic grow up normally.
• The cause of colic is unknown, but many doctors believe it is part of normal development for some babies.
• Colic goes away by three or four months of age in most cases.
• Colic is equally likely to occur in bottle fed and breastfed infants, so if you are breastfeeding a colicky baby, do not stop.

Causes of colic

The cause of colic is unknown. Many scientists believe that babies who are described as colicky do not have any condition but are simply at one extreme of a normal pattern of infant crying in the first few months of life.

Some experts believe that more than one factor contributes to colic. Different babies have different crying patterns, and this may be related to brain development rather than to the digestive system. In other words, colic has not been proven to be caused by gas, digestion or food allergies. As a baby’s brain matures during the first few months of life, symptoms of colic of become less frequent.

What does current research say about how to treat colic?

• There is no evidence that stopping breastfeeding or changing a baby’s formula (such as to a hypoallergenic or soy formula) will reduce colic.
• Chiropractic treatment and baby massage have not been shown to be effective in the treatment of colic.
• Research on use of probiotics in infants with colic suggest they may lead to a reduction in crying. However, these studies cannot conclude that probiotics prevent colic. The probiotics studied appeared to be well tolerated and safe.
• There are no “natural” medications that have been proven to treat colic.
• Gripe water and simethicone are over the counter medications that have shown no benefit in the treatment of colic.
• Research studies have not provided enough evidence to recommend herbal agents, sugar, dicyclomine and cimetropium bromide.

Are there other ways of helping your baby?

• Soft lighting, white noise (such as sound from a vacuum cleaner or a fan) and gentle, rhythmic swaying or rocking may be helpful in soothing your baby. Warm baths, offering a pacifier, feeding or motion from a car ride or walk in a stroller may also help calm your baby.
• Colic can be very stressful for parents. If you feel tired or upset, ask someone else to take care of your baby for a while. If you can't find someone to help, leave your baby in a safe place, like a crib, in another room for a while to get a break. It is OK to let your baby cry for a while. What matters is that most of the time, when your baby cries, you try to comfort them.

What should you do if your baby is crying excessively?

• Contact your child’s health-care provider if your baby is crying frequently, intensely and cannot be soothed. This way you can make sure that your baby does not have a health problem. In most cases, you can be reassured that this period of intense crying will pass, that it is very difficult, and that you are doing all you can to soothe your baby.
• It could also be helpful to visit with a lactation consultant or other breastfeeding specialist to rule out any breastfeeding problems. If your baby is hungry from not getting enough milk, there may be ways to improve the latch and thus the milk supply.
• Continue to try to soothe your baby in the ways that have worked best in the past, by offering feeding, close physical contact, holding and rocking, gentle singing or talking, or offering a pacifier. Remember: colic does not last forever. Most babies outgrow their symptoms by 3 to 4 months of age.