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Coping with colic

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Coping with colic

Colic affects up to one in five babies, making it one of the most common baby gastrointestinal complaints

The first bout of colic usually occurs within a few weeks of birth and episodes can continue until around three to four months of age. Infantile colic is defined as an otherwise healthy baby crying for more than three hours a day over more than three days a week for three weeks or more. Colic can be distressing and difficult for parents to cope with.

Symptoms

Colic causes symptoms such as:

  • Intense, persistent and inconsolable crying, often in the late afternoon or evening
  • A red, flushed face
  • Babies may clench their fists, draw their knees up towards their chest or arch their back.

Causes

The exact cause is unknown, but there are a number of theories:

  • An immature digestive system can lead to irregular gut motility, excessive wind or an imbalance in gut flora
  • Babies may be sensitive to substances in breast or formula milk, or they may have a reduced ability to digest lactose
  • Excess gas and taking in too much air during feeds
  • Mothers who smoke during pregnancy may also increase the risk of their babies developing colic.

Formula milks for colic

Parents need reassurance that colic will resolve itself. If the symptoms are not caused by an allergy, a healthcare professional may recommend a special infant formula milk to manage colic (such as Aptamil Comfort or Cow & Gate Comfort). These products:

  • Contain partially hydrolysed (broken down) whey protein to make them easier to digest
  • Are thicker in consistency to help babies take in milk more evenly with less air
  • Have a reduced lactose content to aid digestion
  • Are suitable from birth until 12 months of age.

Treatment

Treatment is only necessary if parents are struggling to cope and if the baby is not feeding or not gaining weight. If parents are concerned, they should speak to a pharmacist for further advice. Treatments that may help breast and bottle-fed babies include:

  • Simeticone or dimeticone drops (e.g. Infacol – GSL*, Dentinox – GSL*). These drops act on small, trapped bubbles of air which cause the baby pain and discomfort, and combine them into bigger bubbles that are easier for the baby to bring up as wind
  • Lactase enzyme drops (e.g. Colief) help break down the lactose in the milk.

N.B. If a baby has severe colic which has not responded to first line treatment, the symptoms may be due to a cows’ milk allergy. In this case, an extensively hydrolysed formula, such as Nutramigen Lipil 1 or Aptamil Pepti 1, may be recommended by a healthcare professional. Symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting and a fever of 38ºC or above (if under three months of age) or 39ºC or above (if aged three to six months) are not associated with colic. Babies presenting with these symptoms should be referred to a pharmacist.

Top tips for easing colic

To help ease colic, parents can try the following:

  • For breastfed babies, the mother could try removing caffeine and spicy foods from her diet
  • For bottle-fed babies, ensure the bottle is always tipped up during feeding so that the teat is full of milk rather than air
  • For bottle-fed babies, a vented bottle, fast-flowing or anti-colic teat may help
  • Check the size of the teat as holes that are too small can increase the amount of air taken in during feeds
  • Wind the baby during and after a feed (see page 27 for winding tips)
  • Try a warm bath or a cuddle with a blanket to comfort the baby
  • Provide the baby with a distraction (e.g. a dummy)
  • Rock the baby, or take them for a walk or a ride in a car
  • Try having white noise in the room (e.g. a vacuum cleaner or washing machine) as this has been shown to ease crying
  • Enlist the help of family or friends to allow for regular breaks
  • Contact CRY-SIS, a national support group for families with excessively crying, sleepless and demanding children: www.cry-sis.org.uk.

Further information:

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