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Monday, January 9, 2017

Colic in Babies - Symptoms and Treatment

Colic is difficult for parents because there is no discernible cause and very little that can be done about it besides trying different remedies by trial and error. A colicky baby can be difficult on the nerves of parents as well as make them feel like they aren’t doing everything they can to make their baby comfortable. Fortunately, colic rarely lasts longer than a few months.

Colic symptoms exist in about 20% of newborn babies. Most babies who have colic develop it between two and four weeks old. The symptoms usually reach their peak around six to eight weeks and then gradually subside between 12 and 16 weeks of age. Sometimes symptoms can persist until the baby is as old as six months, but these cases are rare (less than 10%) and usually much less severe by the time they reach that age.

If your baby seems to be developing colic, it is important not to assume that it is colic and just start looking for home remedies or waiting for the symptoms to subside. Many times what appears to be colic actually has a medical explanation and can be treated medically. Bring your baby to the pediatrician. Once the pediatrician has ruled out any medical cause for the crying, he or she will probably diagnose your baby with colic. Some parents use anti colic bottles to reduce the gas in babies and to certain extent this is helpful in reducing the colic in babies.

Because almost all explanations for colic are related to a baby becoming more accustomed to its own body and its surroundings, colic should begin to subside gradually but consistently. For instance, some colic is believed to be related to an undeveloped digestive system. Some is believed to be caused by over-stimulation in a new environment. In both cases, the baby will adjust to these difficulties; its digestive system will get stronger or it will learn to process more stimuli.

If your baby’s colic lasts beyond six months of age, you should consult your pediatrician again. Some medical causes of crying can be difficult to diagnose in a very young infant. Possible causes range from chronic ear infections to allergies to food that you didn’t eliminate from your diet to urinary tract infections.  The important thing to remember during episodes of colic is that it is normal and that it is temporary. Parents of colicky babies must be patient and simply do everything they can to make their child comfortable. It’s important not to get frustrated at your baby; after all, if you couldn’t talk how would you communicate your discomfort? Just keep reminding yourself that the colic will subside eventually. It won’t last forever.

What is Colic?

Just what is Colic and does your baby have it? If it is any comfort, Colic is diagnose by doctors as a symptom and not  a disease. But as a parent, specially a new one, it does little for comfort when that bundle of joy came into your life, the last thing on your mind was that non stop crying and the sleepless night trying to figure out how to change it. So, what is colic and if your baby is colic what can you do about it?  First things first, colic babies are 1 in 5 and usually last for the first 1 to 3 months after which majority of babies out grow it. The normal symptoms of colic are continuous crying with at times flexing and extending their legs. At time clenching fists and distended tummy.

And although this can happen at any time, it most often occurs in the late afternoons or early evenings. If you feel that your baby is colic then you need to try to identify the cause. One of the main reasons for colic issues  is gas in the infant and this can come from the mother’s milk.  Make a note of what you are eating and try and avoid some the following foods as there are known to create access amount of gas in the stomach.

To name a few:
Fruits – Honey dues, Apples, Watermelons, Bananas and dried fruits.
Fiber – Oatmeal and other grains
Vegetables – Bell pepper, Cabbages, Cucumbers, Onions, Radishes.
Sugar – Carbonated drinks and Sodas
To find a more complete list, Google “ Foods that cause gas”.

Try not to over feed your infant and pat them more frequently.  If you are feeding formula, then talk to your doctor and change the formula. The other reason that the experts associate this problem with babies is with stress in the home.  Doctors believe that infants can sense stress in the beings around them and that too can cause discomfort in the infant resulting in colic behavior.  As hard as it may seem with all that is going on in your life, you need to take a break from your environment. Try getting  a family member to babysit for 30 minutes or so.

The most  important thing you need to keep In mind is that this in not life threatening and it will pass, and that before you know it in a few months this crying bundle will be a toddler getting into lot more mischief then you can imagine.

Solution for Colic Baby

In the eyes of some experts, milk is a major component.  Because milk is associated with several allergies and taking the sensitive nature of a new born, they feel that milk may cause the infant to become Colic.  The other product that is recommended by them is called Probiotics.  This is taken internally and is a form of bacteria that helps with the babies digestive system.

Now although Probiotics forms naturally in the mothers milk, formula milk is different.
The method we highly recommend is shown in the video on this page which if you have not seen, do so.  If you are asking “ What is Colic” then you are obviously concerned with your infants behavior and this is one method you guaranteed to have results. This method is called the “ Baby Bowen” technique. It is Simple, Natural and you see results immediately.

If you have tried everything and yet nothing seems to work then you definitely need to look into this.
It is not a massage or manipulation but rather a method for re-balancing the nervous system.  Understand that beside the mother, the whole birth process  has been an extremely traumatic experience for the baby and by r-ebalancing the nervous system , re-balancing you create the immediate effects of calmness and serenity in your baby and the causes of discomfort fades  away. The result is a happy, healthy and balanced baby.

This method works for any symptoms associated with Colic, from Wind, Gas, Bloating, Reflux, Constipation, Indigestion, Hiccups, Restlessness, Difficulty Sleeping etc.  The list goes on.
Now before the cynical voice in your head starts ringing the alarm bells and shouting “ Yeah right”,  let me ask you, what is the worst that can happen?  Other than a little time, you or the baby have lost nothing because the cost for the information is guaranteed, meaning if this does not work, you get your money back.  But ask, what if it does work, then what is it worth?

Colic Baby Symptoms 

Colic in baby usually appears in the first 2 to 4 weeks since baby is born and it attends its peak at about 6-8 weeks. In most cases colic becomes worse in evening or at night. Here are some of the symptoms of colic in new born babies

  • Frowning and grimacing
  • Face becomes red
  • Stomach pain
  • Loud and long screaming fits
  • Rumbling of tummy
  • The baby cries lot and are not able to consoled
  • The infant passes wind or faeces around the time the crying stops, which could be coincidental
Changing the diet of a baby is only of proven benefit for colic if the baby has lactose intolerance or cow’s milk allergies. Remember, there are many things that can seem like colic but aren’t. There isn't a clear definition of exactly what colic is or how (and if) it differs from other types of crying. Colic is somewhat subjective, and whether your baby's crying is "average" or "excessive" may depend on how much you can endure. Removing the substances from both the baby’s and the mother’s diet may be helpful.

If you're concerned about your baby, your doctor can do a full exam to rule out a medical cause for why your baby cries and is fussy. But doctors typically agree that the difference between colic and ordinary crying in that baby seems inconsolable, crying turns to screaming, and the ordeal lasts for at least three hours and sometimes much longer (occasionally nearly around the clock, much to the tired and fraught parents' dismay). Most often, colicky periods recur daily, though some babies take an occasional night off. But pediatricians generally use the "rule of threes" to determine colic: crying bouts that start when a baby is about 3 weeks old (usually late in the day, although they can occur anytime), lasting for more than three hours a day, on more than three days a week, for more than three weeks in a row. This should only be done with help from a doctor, to ensure the nutritional needs of both mother and baby are met. If you’re a breastfeeding mama, you also want to give up foods that can trigger baby colic symptoms.

What to do About Newborns with Colic
While there is no scientifically proven cause for colic most experts point to gastrointestinal discomfort as the likely trigger. It typically peaks at 6 to 8 weeks and subsides by 3 to 4 months. Your baby is restless and cranky, and doesn’t seem to settle into a predictable routine of sleeping and feeding. Dairy is a huge culprit. In fact the word colic is derived from the ancient Greek word pronounced "kōlon" meaning intestine.

The cause of colic is unknown. Many parents find this unpredictability very hard to cope with. So are other common allergens like wheat/gluten, eggs, shellfish, citrus, caffeine and spicy foods. If babies could talk and tell us the precise location and nature of their discomfort the medical community would have a much more definitive understanding this condition. Researchers have explored a number of possibilities, including allergies, lactose intolerance, changes in the normal bacteria found in the digestive system, a digestive system that hasn't fully developed, anxious parents, and differences in the way a baby is fed or comforted.

Your baby might feed hungrily, but soon after a feed seems to be hungry again. While it’s certainly no fun to give up some of your favorite foods, it’s worth your effort. There are at least nine theories proposed to explain the source of colic, but because colic has no precisely defined cause, but rather is a collection of different symptoms, it is quite likely that colic may be due to different factors in different babies. Yet it's still unclear why some babies have colic and others don't. Or your baby might not feed well, often fussing at the breast or bottle.

You might find that your baby spends long periods unsettled or grizzling, but might also cry very loudly. During this crying period, your baby might draw her legs up, as if in pain. It’s very difficult to settle or comfort your baby when she’s in this state. She might be inconsolable – nothing you do seems to make any difference.