How to Recognize Colic Symptoms

It is estimated that as many as one in five babies suffer from colic. The word is used to describe a wide range of symptoms that occur in young infants, characterized by long periods of otherwise inexplicable crying. Parents of babies with colic often feel overwhelmed and helpless in the face of their child's discomfort and loud wailing. It's important for parents to recognize the symptoms in order to discuss treatment and management with their child's pediatrician. Read on to learn how to recognize colic symptoms.

Instructions

• 1

  Calculate the age of the infant, keeping in mind that the age of premature babies is based on the projected due date, not date of birth. Colic symptoms typically begin at about three weeks of age, peak at two months old and begin to wane at about four months.

• 2

  Discern whether there is a reasonable explanation for your baby's fussiness, such as hunger or obvious signs of injury. Unlike most babies, who cry to indicate a specific need, colicky babies cry for long periods of time, seemingly for no apparent reason.

• 3

  Recognize patterns in the crying episodes. Long periods of inconsolable crying that always occur at the same time(s) of day, especially right after feeding or at twilight, are an indicator of colic.

• 4

  Observe whether your child seems to be restless or thrashing around and appears to have stomach pain. A baby who brings her knees up toward her tensed abdomen and moves around restlessly is exhibiting classic symptoms of colic.

• 5

  Notice if the crying spell stops right after your baby has a bowel movement, burps or passes gas, as this is very common in cases of colic. It's also likely that he will sleep well when the episode has passed.

Avoid Causes of Colic

• 6

  Investigate whether there is a possibility of lactose intolerance. Lactose is the sugar found in cow's milk, breast milk and the most common types of formula. The digestive systems of babies who are lactose intolerant aren't able to break down the sugar, causing excessive gassiness and general abdominal distress.

• 7

  Avoid feeding your baby cow's milk or the byproducts thereof. Some colicky babies are particularly sensitive to the proteins found in cow's milk. Infants under 12 months of age aren't supposed to ingest cow's milk, however, many formulas contain the protein. It can also be passed to the baby if a breastfeeding mother eats dairy products on a regular basis.

• 8

  Ensure that your baby isn't swallowing excessive amounts of air. Babies swallow air bubbles both when feeding and crying. In many cases, the wind can get trapped in the intestines, causing the cramping and pain associated with colic.