Infantile Colic

Colicky babies cry constantly and hard at about the same time each day at least three days a week. About one in five babies usually a firstborn boy develops colic. Usually seen between 2 weeks and 6 months of age.

Signs and Symptoms

• Your baby cries for more than three hours on at least three occasions a week but is otherwise healthy.
• Your baby kicks a lot pulls his or her legs up close and makes tight fists.
• Your baby's tummy seems hard and he or she burps and passes gas often.
• The crying sounds like your baby is in great pain.
• Your baby spits up frequently after feeding.

What Causes It?

Providers suspect colic is caused by one or more of the following.

• The baby's nervous or digestive system may be immature
• The baby needs comforting or is over- or under-stimulated
• If breast-fed the baby may be reacting to something in the mother's diet
• Antibiotics given at birth either to the infant or the mother

What to Expect at Your Provider's Office

Your health care provider will ask if the baby is eating well and gaining weight or has diarrhea fever or unusual stools. If you are breast-feeding your health care provider may ask you about foods you have eaten. If your provider decides your baby has colic you can work together to find ways to relieve your baby's discomfort.

Your provider will also encourage you to take care of yourself like taking a break or getting help if you are afraid you will harm your baby. Remember that colic usually disappears at 6 months of age. If the treatments you choose do not work your baby's provider may check for other problems such as a digestive problem or allergy.

Treatment Options

Treatment Plan

Because there is no known cause for colic you will need to try different things from the list below to see which ones help your baby the most.

• If breast-feeding nurse on demand usually every two to three hours. Breast-feeding mothers should avoid caffeine dairy products citrus fruits soy products and spicy foods. Elevate the infant's head during and after feedings.
• If bottle feeding ask your health care provider to recommend a formula that is not based on cow's milk and that is not iron-fortified.
• Do not offer your baby solid foods before age 6 months.
• Hold your baby close offer a pacifier try rocking or rubbing the baby's back give your baby a warm bath take a car ride with the baby play soft music or use an infant swing to ease the crying.
• Take a break if the crying becomes unbearable. Call your pediatrician and/or join a parent support group to help yourself through this very trying time.

Drug Therapies

Prescription

No drugs are currently approved for infantile colic. However some pediatricians have found simethicone to be helpful.

Over the Counter

N/A

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Eliminating gas-producing foods and using supportive herbal or homeopathic therapies can help reduce or eliminate infantile colic. In addition playing soft music rocking the infant or using "white noise" (for example a dryer) may be helpful in soothing the infant. Reducing stimuli and placing the infant in a dim quiet room may help calm the baby.

Nutrition

Acidophilus (especially Bifidus spp.) can be given to both the breastfeeding mother and infant. Use 1 capsule with meals three times per day for adults; 1 capsule per day for infants (break capsule open and administer powder in divided doses throughout the day).

Herbs

Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules powders teas) glycerites (glycerine extracts) or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated teas should be made with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers and 10 to 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 to 4 cups per day.

A tea made from fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) or anise seed (Pimpinella anisum) may be given directly to the infant (1 tsp. before and after feedings) or drunk by the breast-feeding mother (1 cup three to six times per day). Both fennel and anise act as gastrointestinal relaxants and help expel gas.

Other herbs that have relaxing effects and help reduce colic are lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) catnip (Nepeta cateria) peppermint (Mentha piperita) spearmint (Mentha spicata) and linden flower (Tilia cordata). These may be added to the above tea as needed.

Homeopathy

Some of the most common remedies used for colic are listed below. Usually the dose is 12X to 30C every one to four hours until your symptoms get better. For infants dissolve about 5 pellets in 1/4 cup of water and give 1 tsp. every 4 hours.

• Carbo vegetalis for flatulent colic and burping
• Chamomilla for colic with irritability that is relieved by constant holding and walking
• Magnesia phosphoricum for colic that is better when the baby bends at the waist
• Combination remedies for colic are commercially available

Physical Medicine

Warm baths may help relax and soothe colicky infants. Add 3 to 4 drops of essential oil of lavender or lemon balm to enhance the benefit.

Massage

Clockwise abdominal massage may help relieve spasm and expel gas. Use 3 to 5 drops of tincture of catnip (Nepeta cateria) in 1 to 2 tsp. of almond or olive oil to enhance effectiveness. Apply warmth.

Following Up

Use whatever works and remember that your baby will outgrow the colic in a few weeks or months. Keep in mind however that colicky babies often grow up to have other allergy-related health problems such as ear infections asthma and digestive problems.

Special Considerations

Never shake your baby. This can cause serious or fatal brain damage. If you are feeling overwhelmed try the steps listed below.

• Have someone else watch your baby while you get away for a while.
• Join a support group.
• Call your baby's health care provider.

Supporting Research

Ayllon T. Stopping Baby's Colic. New York NY: Putnam; 1989.

Boericke W. Materia Medica. 9th ed. Santa Rosa Calif: Boericke and Tafel; 1927:151.

Jones S. Crying Baby Sleepless Nights: Why Your Baby Is Crying and What You Can Do About It. Boston Mass. The Harvard Common Press; 1992.

Kemper KJ. The Holistic Pediatrician. New York NY: HarperPerennial; 1996.

Kruzel T. The Homeopathic Emergency Guide. Berkeley Calif: North Atlantic Books; 1992:126–128.

Schiff D Shelov P eds. American Academy of Pediatrics: The Official Complete Home Reference Guide to Your Child's Symptoms Birth Through Adolescence. New York NY: Villard Books; 1997.

Wilen J Wilen L. Folk Remedies That Work. New York NY. HarperPerennial; 1996.

Copyright © 2000 Integrative Medicine Communications

The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information or the consequences arising from the application use or misuse of any of the information contained herein including any injury and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product liability negligence or otherwise. No warranty expressed or implied is made in regard to the contents of this material. No claims or endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds currently marketed or in investigative use. This material is not intended as a guide to self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information provided here with a doctor pharmacist nurse or other authorized healthcare practitioner and to check product information (including package inserts) regarding dosage precautions warnings interactions and contraindications before administering any drug herb or supplement discussed herein.