Colic

What is colic?

Colic is crying that occurs in infants usually between 2 weeks of life and 3 months of age. This crying seems to have no cause. Colic is more common in bottle fed babies, but can be seen in breast fed babies as well. The crying is often worse in the evening.

What causes colic?

Great question. It is still unclear. The diagnosis is made primarily based on physical exam and history.

What can you do for colic?

Unfortunately, there is little that can be done for colic. It is something that the child will grow out of usually by 3 months of age. There have been several medicines that have been tried, but results have not been conclusive. Changing formulas is rarely helpful, but sometimes tried. Patience is the best prescription.

If your child has colic, and you are having trouble dealing with the crying, seek help and support. Crying from colic has been implicated child abuse cases such as "shaken baby syndrome" which can have devastating and permanent consequences.

How do I know if my baby has colic?

When a baby cries, it is important to look for a source of discomfort to the baby. For example; Is the child wet? Is the child dirty? Is the child cold? Does the child want to be held? Children with colic are otherwise well babies. They feed well, gain weight well, have normal stooling patterns, and develop normally. If you suspect that this is a problem for your child, it is important to discuss it with your physician either at a well child visit, or at an ill visit made for this problem. Children who have these issues should be examined by a qualified physician to determine if there is another cause for the crying.

Excessive crying can be a symptom of serious disease and should be discussed with a physician.

JDMD 1/2/01