HEALTH
Babies cry a lot. But, if your
little one cries a little too
often, he or she might just be
suffering from infantile colic.
Associate Professor Marion
Aw reveals to Family & Life
how you can be absolutely
sure, and the ways to treat it.
It’s not uncommon for newborns to cry.
Crying is their only language, after all – a
shrill and automatic signal, a biological
response to communicate their needs. It
could be because they’re hungry, tired,
need cuddling, or are suffering discomfort
from a dirty diaper. But when the crying
seems almost impossible to soothe and
instead, becomes more intense over time
with each session lasting much longer than
the ‘normal’ two hours per day, you might
just be facing every parent’s nightmare:
infantile colic.
In a survey commissioned by Abbott
in March 2013 to better understand the
prevalence of infant feeding intolerance
issues, it is revealed that colic is the most
stress-causing symptom for parents,
although it is fairly common among
infants. Infantile colic is often a sign as a
possible gastrointestinal (GI) symptom,
alongside other symptoms such as
spitting up and regurgitation, gassiness,
constipation, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Little do most parents know that GI
symptoms might not always be the cause of
the incessant crying.
Associate Professor Marion Aw, Senior
Consultant, Division of Paediatric
Gastroenterology and Hepatology, National
University Hospital, reveals the answers to
some of the mysteries that surround the
frustrating C-word.
What is baby colic?
Infantile colic refers to a collection of
symptoms experienced by young babies (as
opposed to a medical condition or disease
per se). These include fussiness, crying,
and irritability in a baby who is otherwise
well. Almost all babies experience infantile
Almost all babies experience
infantile colic at some point.
It typically begins in the first
1-2 months of life. This crying...
can be quite distressing for
first-time parents.
In a broad
sense, it
is similar.
However,
baby colic or
infantile colic is
presumed to be
colic (cramps)
arising from
the infant’s
intestines.
colic at some point. It typically begins in
the first 1-2 months of life.
This crying and fussiness can be quite
distressing, particularly for first time
parents. Whilst the majority of babies with
infantile colic are medically well, there
may be a few where there are underlying
medical conditions resulting in the crying
and irritability. If parents are in doubt, it
would be safer to check with their doctor.
Is it different from abdominal colic?
In a broad sense, it is similar. However,
baby colic or infantile colic is presumed to
be colic (cramps) arising from the infant’s
intestines. Abdominal colic, which in the
majority of cases usually refers to cramps
from the intestines, can also result from
other organs such as the gall bladder
(biliary colic) or ureters (pipes that connect
the kidneys to the urinary bladder).
Is colic a sure sign that my child is
suffering from GI symptoms?
No, it is not. Whilst the exact cause of
infantile colic is not known, the postulated
causes include excessive intestinal air,
gut dysmotility, or the infant’s immature
ability to modulate reactions to internal or
external stimuli.
However, if you have any concerns as a
parent, it would be safer to get a proper
check-up from a doctor.
Hush Now,
Don’t
You
Cry
For how long would colic affect my baby?
Colic usually gets better by 4-5 months
of age. It would be usual for the typical
“infantile colic” to persist beyond 6
months of age. If these symptoms persist
(crying, fussing, irritability), then it may
be important to look for and exclude other
causes that may result in similar symptoms.
It seems that crying, vomiting and
spitting up is perfectly normal for infants.
How can I tell if these symptoms are truly
a cause for alarm?
Almost all babies experience GI symptoms,
hence, they are “normal” in that sense.
However, the degree to which each baby
experiences the symptoms may vary;
some babies tend to appear to suffer more
from these symptoms compared to others.
Those who have significant symptoms may
have an underlying medical problem and
parents should seek medical attention.
For example, a baby who regurgitates
(vomits) milk several times per day after
feeding but is otherwise feeding well,
putting on weight, sleeping well and happy
in interactions, is a normal baby. In this
instance, parents don’t need to worry about
the regurgitation.
However, if the baby regurgitates, fusses,
cries, refuses feeding and becomes
difficult to settle, these would be causes
for concern.
Other symptoms that would be cause for
concern include:
• Vomiting that has an unusual colour
(green vomitus, blood in the vomit)
• Poor weight gain
• Blood in the infant’s stool
Are there any safe home remedies that
you would recommend to soothe my
crying baby?
You may try the 5 “S” approach:
1 Safe swaddling.
2 Side or stomach sleeping — whilst
sleeping on the back is the only safe
position for babies to sleep, it may not
be the best position to calm a crying or
fussing infant. Putting baby to sleep on
his side may be an option. If it is for a
short nap with someone watching, then
stomach sleeping may be helpful.
3 “Shh” sound — making a “