While there is nothing abnormal about a new born crying for no apparent reason, the crying can sometimes get completely out of control and cause distress (not just to the parents but to the entire family!) The helpless, tearful and screaming infant is a heart-wrenching sight, especially when you cannot pinpoint the cause!
Baby colic, often called infant colic; is a very common phenomenon happening to nearly 25% of babies all round the world. While the exact cause of baby colic is still under research, there are some tell-tale signs which can tell a parent or the doctor that the baby is suffering from colic.
Here are some of the baby colic symptoms:
- The crying is vigorous and for extended periods of time. The baby can not be calmed despite all types of soothing measures.
- The crying episodes occur more or less at the same time of the day or night. They could appear just after a feed and may vanish as abruptly as it came.
- You feel that the baby is going through some sort of abdominal discomfort and gas formation.
- The stomach feels hard and distended. His knees are pulled close to his chest; his fists are clenched and his back is arched.
- The baby is sleepless often, restless and fidgety.
baby colic symptoms usually seem associated with pain, but since the baby is unable to express his situation, it is often very difficult for the parents to precisely diagnose the baby’s condition. Most experts believe that baby colic is manifested in terms of acute abdominal cramps which start when the baby is about couple of weeks old and disappears suddenly by the time the baby is about 3-4 months old.
But do all babies that have these baby colic symptoms actually have colic? Not necessarily. To correctly conclude that your baby has colic, pediatricians recommend the diagnosis process called ‘Rule of Three’, which states “A baby that cries for three or more hours per day, at least three times per week, within a three month period”. Wess, et al., “Paroxysmas fussing in infancy.” Pediatrics 1984:74:998. (Interestingly nearly 25% of babies round the world meet this Rule of Three formula to be diagnosed for colic.)
Now that you know baby colic symptoms and how to tell if your baby really has colic, you’re probably wondering what you should do with that information. There are some steps which you can take to make your baby feel better right now. Some ideas include changing the environment in which the baby is kept, changing the baby formula, swaddling, white noise, trying gripe waters and pacifiers. (Some medications are said to work as well, but like with all baby medications, it is recommended that you consult your pediatrician, before giving your baby any medication..)
