Unlike adults, the term colic in babies is used more broadly to describe the paintings of prolonged crying without apparent cause. When we say that a baby has colic, it does not necessarily indicate that he presents abdominal pain, but a cry of frame and / or frequent irritability and often time consuming.
In the first 3 months of life, the baby is practically a fetus outside the womb. Your nervous system is very immature and stimuli from the external environment are more intense and very different than they were in the womb. Think well, the baby is born so happens to be exposed to variations of light, noise, temperature, position, motion, touch, smells, humidity, etc. For some babies, crying crises are as an outlet for all the accumulated stress throughout the day.
What we call baby cramps are not necessarily real cramps, ie, painful contractions of the intestines. Every baby often cries extended form and appears very cranky, without this can be attributed to any disease, hunger, sleep or dirty diapers, they can be considered as colic carriers.
Any child, she has cramps or not, cry more in the first 3 or 4 months after birth than at any other time in your life. Babies cry for no apparent reason. This is a fact. However, there are babies who seem to suffer beyond the average. Studies show that in the first months of life, babies cry in average two hours a day. As they become more mature, the crying time will be reduced gradually.
There is no exact definition that allows us to say that this baby has colic and this baby has not. In general we can say that a baby suffering from colic when he cries more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 times a week for more than three weeks. Of course, no one needs to be checking the clock baby crying time throughout the day to make the diagnosis of colic. These numbers are only an orientation basis for mothers know, more or less, what is normal and what is exaggerated.
In fact, only 30% of babies considered as having colic by mothers really have crying tables above average. Mothers seem to notice the occurrence of colic more often the first child. Most likely this is because first-time mothers do not have a basis for comparison and end up thinking that your baby cries beyond normal. When the second child is born, the trend is they are more experienced and crying no longer causes them so much stress.
But the baby's colic is more than just excessive crying without apparent cause. Besides the prolonged crying, colic can have the following characteristics:
Cry of sudden onset and termination in a seemingly healthy baby out of the crisis. The crying spells usually occur from the sunset.
The mother can recognize that the colic crying is different from the usual cries related to hunger, sleep or other discomforts. The crying of colic tends to be more acute, sometimes like screams, as if the baby was in distress.
The baby in crisis becomes inconsolable. Nothing that the mother does seem to be enough to calm the baby.
The baby with colic tends to contract your muscles as if you were really having an abdominal colic. Sometimes crying improvement after the elimination of stool or gas. Hence the origin of the term colic for this type of crying for no apparent cause.
The hypothesis of crying be caused by a real gripe is very attractive and seems to justify all the symptoms of the baby. But when the babies are studied, no one can point clear changes gastrointestinal, either in hormone production, intestinal transit speed or intensity of contractions co colon, indicating the existence of a real abdominal colic. It should be noted, however, that some studies point to an increased production of intestinal gas in babies who have colic. It is reasonable to think that some of these babies really present cramps, but it can not be proved in all cases.
Colic babies do not seem to be a single cause problem. In fact, it is possible that several different problems manifest themselves in a similar way, which explains the difficulty of doctors in determining a common cause for colic so many children.
Dozens of factors have been proposed as possible triggers for the cramps. Nothing, however, is clearly proven. Among the factors that could theoretically trigger seizures, include:
Intolerance to cow's milk.
Intolerance sorbitol, sugar present in fruit juices.
Immaturity of the gastrointestinal system, which is more difficult to digest carbohydrates, which leads to greater gas production by intestinal bacteria.
Differences in Flora intestinal bacterial. Babies under lactobacillus and more bacteria, such as E. coli and Klebsiella, seem to have a higher incidence of colic.
Increased swallowing air during breastfeeding.
Mothers who smoke have a higher risk of having babies with colic.
Gastroesophageal reflux.
Stressful family environment.
Baby hyperstimulation during the day (with lights, sounds and activities).
Personal baby Temperament.
Mother feeding. Some foods in the mother's diet can disturb the babies who are still breastfeeding.
The most important is to make sure that the crying spells are not being caused by health problems, such as rashes, urinary tract infection or ear, hernias, not diagnostic fractures, asthma, etc. In fact, even a mother's hair tangled up in one of the child's toes can cause crying spells.
By definition, the cramps occur in healthy babies. If there are any health problems behind causing the crying, it can not be considered the baby colic.
Colic usually emerge from the second week of life and disappear spontaneously until the 4th month. They have no more severe clinical significance beyond the stress causing the parents.
The treatment of baby colic aims to ease the crying spells and prevent the problem affects the marital relationship and the proper relationship of the parents with the child. The first point is to understand that feelings of frustration, anger, guilt, aggression and exhaustion are perfectly normal for parents of babies with colic.
To prevent crying spells
It is important to reduce the amount of stimulation that the baby receives during the day, and avoid temperature variations, noise and light. A calm and healthy home environment also makes a difference. If the baby is horrible nights, look for that review events occurred during the day, like family visits, walks in the street, exposure to loud noises and music, exposure to television, etc. Try to recognize super stimulating factors may have left the stressed baby throughout the day, with the need to vent at night.
Nursing mothers should make a daily trying to find relationship between diet and crying crises. Foods like chocolate, beans, cabbage, eggs, milk, cauliflower and others, may cause discomfort to the baby. Sometimes it is not a specific food, but a sudden change of diet. The important thing is to test to see if results.
Some pro-biotics such as Lactobacillus reuteri , appear to help prevent crises. Medicines to control the gases, such as dimethicone (simethicone), are ineffective. Sometimes a few drops of these remedies help to stop crying because they sweeties. Two or three drops in pacifiers often to help. But this is only a temporary effect, not intended to prevent the cramps.
Some homeopathic medicines used to treat colic in babies, and does not have an effect, can worsen the picture. Substances like colocynthis , Veratrum album or Nux vomica can be toxic and have been found in some of these drugs.
Except for the use of pro-biotic, which should be administered only with the authorization of pediatrician, do not indicate any other type of medicine for the baby with colic. None has scientific evidence of efficacy and many can be harmful to the baby. Sedate the baby, then, no way.
To soothe the baby during a crying jag
Some techniques help to stop the uncontrollable crying. car floor, connecting a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner near the baby, with moisturizing massage and offering the breast to suckle can help. It is important to put the baby to burp whenever he finished feeding. Even if it takes half an hour, avoid throwing the baby without him having burped before.
Offer a pacifier, keep you glued to your body and it NINA are techniques that also help. Do not worry about "spoiling" the baby. At this stage so early in life, this is no problem.
Some babies feel more secure if they are wrapped in blankets in order to arrest her arms, preventing them have involuntary movements. There are blankets made especially for "tie" the baby comfortably, as pictured alongside.
If the crying does not pass, it is important to take turns parents. After several minutes of listening to cries and shouts, everyone gets nervous, which makes the baby's control. If you are at your limit and there is no one to replace it, leave the baby safely crib and walk away for a few minutes to rest your head. Parents on the verge of a nervous breakdown only aggravate the situation.
An American pediatrician Harvey Karp called, became famous in recent years for launching books and DVDs that teach techniques to calm the baby crying uncontrollably. His book "The happiest baby on the block" is a worldwide bestseller and has several tips on how to calm babies.
