Colic

Babies cry when they are hungry, sick, too hot, etc.

A baby with colic cries for no apparent reason, often for 3 or more hours a day. In general, babies start to have colic when they are about three weeks old. The colic worsens at around 6 weeks of age and stops by 3-4 months of age. Colic does not harm babies, but is very hard on parents and caretakers.

Signs & Symptoms

Fussy crying occurs for no known reason. The baby is not hungry, sick, in pain, etc. The crying lasts for minutes to hours at a time.
The baby may pull their knees up to their stomach, clench their fists, or arch their back.
Colic episodes often occur in the evening.
When the baby is exhausted or passes gas or stool, the crying tends to stop.

Causes

The exact cause is not known. Babies with colic are very, very sensitive to stimulation. Some noises in the house bother them. Also, they may need to be cuddled more than babies without colic.

Bottle feeding too fast (less than 20 minutes) or giving too much formula can trigger colic episodes. So can foods the breastfeeding mother eats (e.g., caffeine, dairy products, and nuts).

Treatment

After other medical problems are ruled out, colic is treated by finding out and getting rid of colic triggers and giving comfort to the baby.

It is hard to rouse or wake up the baby.
The baby stares off into space.
The baby is not normally active or acts very sick.
The baby has been shaken.
An infant younger than 3 months old has a temperature of 100.4oF or higher?

Vomiting, diarrhea, or black or bloody stool
Passing no stool for more than 2 days
Weight loss

The baby with colic is younger than 2 weeks old or older then 3 months old.
Colic episodes last more than 2 hours at a time.
The baby with colic is taking a prescribed medicine.
You are exhausted from the baby’s crying and/or can’t handle it anymore.

Self-Care

Be sure the baby has enough to eat. For breastfed babies, feed if more than 1-1/2 hours since the last feeding. For bottlefed babies, feed if more than 2 hours since the last feeding.