Colic

What is colic?

Colic is a problem that affects some babies during the first three to four months of life. It can be very stressful and frustrating to parents.

Physicians have defined colic as prolonged or excessive crying in an infant who is otherwise well. The crying can be very loud and can last for several hours a day.

What causes colic?

• Adjusting to each other
  One theory about colic relates to the adjustments that a new baby and his/her parents have to make to each other. Until babies learn to talk, one way they communicate with adults is by crying. Parents have to learn to interpret the reasons their baby is crying and then figure out what to do to make the baby happy. Is the baby hungry? Wet? Cold? Hot? Tired? Bored? A baby will cry for these reasons, as well as for other problems and parents must try to determine what is causing their baby's stress, often by trial and error. New parents, especially, may have trouble reading their baby's cues and responding appropriately.
• Temperament and adjusting to the world
  Newborns must also make adjustments to the world they are living in. Not all babies have the same temperament. Some adjust to lights, loud noises and all the other stimulation around them with no trouble, while others are not able to adapt as easily. Just like adults, some babies are easy-going and some are impatient. Crying may be one way for a baby to vent feelings as he/she is getting adjusted to the world.
• Oversensitivity to gas
  Another possible reason for excessive crying in babies might be due to an oversensitivity to gas in the intestine. Physicians do not think that babies with colic produce more gas than others, but simply that the normal amount of gas that is produced as food is digested is uncomfortable for some babies. If a baby with colic seems to pass more gas than other babies do, it is probably due to swallowing more air while crying for prolonged periods of time.

Colic is not caused by an allergy or intolerance to milk protein.  The signs of milk protein allergy are different from those seen with colic.  If you think your child has a milk allergy, please call you health care provider.

What are the symptoms of colic?