Baby Colic. How to Stop a Baby Cry
Author: GeorgeGlimbsey
Colic in infants is basically a term that describes excessive crying in babies. It frequently begins around two weeks of age and gets better by the time a baby is four-months old, although it may keep going longer. Crying often grows to a peak in the late afternoon and evening hours.
Signs and symptoms of colic in a baby include the following:
- Crying that usually starts unexpectedly. The cry is high-pitched and nothing mom and dad do generally seems to pacify the child.
- Crying reaching a peak at a similar time regularly, often in the afternoon or evening.
- The child may draw their legs up every time they cry.
- The infant may clench their hands and their face may look flushed.
- The crying may lessen when the baby is exhausted or when they have passed wind or a stool.
What causes colic?
Numerous theories have been submitted to try and explain the causes of colic, including one which suggests it is due to muscular spasms affecting the gut, leading to cramp-like pains after a baby has fed.
However, there is little evidence to favour any one theory over another, so it is difficult to say what treatment is likely to work best for colic.
Steps you can take yourself
There are several things you can try when your baby has colic although the research which has been carried out has generally been of bad quality and hasn't proven that such techniques work.
You can consider carrying baby around more (say, for up to six hours a day).
You can consider to cut back stimulation of your baby (for instance, by not patting, lifting or jiggling the child, and also by reducing noise around the baby).
Some parents drive around in the vehicle or use a vibrating crib to soothe their baby.
Quiet background noise might help some babies - such as a vacuum cleaner, washer or even a ticking clock.
You could attempt baby massage but if you use oil consult with a pharmacist, health visitor or GP that the ingredients are safe for your baby.
Anything else
Gripe water, colic drops and preparations containing the active component simeticone (Infacol and Dentinox infant colic drops) are frequently used. But scientific research haven't proven that they can be effective. Simeticone isn’t absorbed by the body therefore it should really be safe to be used in infants.
Probiotics are microorganisms, usually bacteria, which are sometimes used to relieve bowel problems. One analysis found out that a specific form of probiotic significantly reduced crying in breastfed children with colic and seemed to be safe.
Spinal manipulation performed by a chiropractic specialist does not seem to be an effective treatment for colic in babies. Cranial osteopathy is sometimes used but no studies have been releasedto indicate if this procedure works and is safe.
A small part of of babies with colic may have an allergic reaction or intolerance to cows' milk protein, and eliminating it from their diet might help but it is best to do this with guidance from a GP, paediatrician or health visitor.
Breastfeeding mothers may be advised to cut out cows' milk protein from their diet for a trial period of a week or two to determine if this improves the baby’s colic.
Bottle fed newborns may be switched from ordinary infant formula to a formula containing whey hydrolysate. This kind of milk has been treated to make it a lot less likely to generate a hypersensitive reaction in infants.
Other types of special formulas which might be typically used for babies with colic include casein hydrolysate, low-lactose milk (lactose is the sugar in milk) and soya-based formulas.
Some babies who're hypersensitive to milk are often hypersensitive to soya. One more concern about soya formulas is because they consist of hormone-like substances known as phytoestrogens, which could change a child’s hormonal development.
Medical professionals usually claim that soya based formula shouldn't be used in infants under 6 months.
Signs and symptoms of colic in a baby include the following:
- Crying that usually starts unexpectedly. The cry is high-pitched and nothing mom and dad do generally seems to pacify the child.
- Crying reaching a peak at a similar time regularly, often in the afternoon or evening.
- The child may draw their legs up every time they cry.
- The infant may clench their hands and their face may look flushed.
- The crying may lessen when the baby is exhausted or when they have passed wind or a stool.
What causes colic?
Numerous theories have been submitted to try and explain the causes of colic, including one which suggests it is due to muscular spasms affecting the gut, leading to cramp-like pains after a baby has fed.
However, there is little evidence to favour any one theory over another, so it is difficult to say what treatment is likely to work best for colic.
Steps you can take yourself
There are several things you can try when your baby has colic although the research which has been carried out has generally been of bad quality and hasn't proven that such techniques work.
You can consider carrying baby around more (say, for up to six hours a day).
You can consider to cut back stimulation of your baby (for instance, by not patting, lifting or jiggling the child, and also by reducing noise around the baby).
Some parents drive around in the vehicle or use a vibrating crib to soothe their baby.
Quiet background noise might help some babies - such as a vacuum cleaner, washer or even a ticking clock.
You could attempt baby massage but if you use oil consult with a pharmacist, health visitor or GP that the ingredients are safe for your baby.
Anything else
Gripe water, colic drops and preparations containing the active component simeticone (Infacol and Dentinox infant colic drops) are frequently used. But scientific research haven't proven that they can be effective. Simeticone isn’t absorbed by the body therefore it should really be safe to be used in infants.
Probiotics are microorganisms, usually bacteria, which are sometimes used to relieve bowel problems. One analysis found out that a specific form of probiotic significantly reduced crying in breastfed children with colic and seemed to be safe.
Spinal manipulation performed by a chiropractic specialist does not seem to be an effective treatment for colic in babies. Cranial osteopathy is sometimes used but no studies have been releasedto indicate if this procedure works and is safe.
A small part of of babies with colic may have an allergic reaction or intolerance to cows' milk protein, and eliminating it from their diet might help but it is best to do this with guidance from a GP, paediatrician or health visitor.
Breastfeeding mothers may be advised to cut out cows' milk protein from their diet for a trial period of a week or two to determine if this improves the baby’s colic.
Bottle fed newborns may be switched from ordinary infant formula to a formula containing whey hydrolysate. This kind of milk has been treated to make it a lot less likely to generate a hypersensitive reaction in infants.
Other types of special formulas which might be typically used for babies with colic include casein hydrolysate, low-lactose milk (lactose is the sugar in milk) and soya-based formulas.
Some babies who're hypersensitive to milk are often hypersensitive to soya. One more concern about soya formulas is because they consist of hormone-like substances known as phytoestrogens, which could change a child’s hormonal development.
Medical professionals usually claim that soya based formula shouldn't be used in infants under 6 months.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://www.articlealley.com/baby-colic-how-to-stop-a-baby-cry-2390938.html
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