Colic will typically begin when a baby is one month old and can result in distressing symptoms, such as crying continuously for hours on end, without being comforted by usual approaches. Thankfully much more is now known about the condition and it tends to stop by three months.
Causes of Colic – Allergies and Stomach Acid
Until relatively recently, doctors did not know a great deal about colic, making it hard to treat and often causing parents much stress and worry. A very negative belief previously associated with colic, suggested that there was a connection between colicky babies and tense or stressed parents. Clearly, this did nothing to help parents, merely heaping on more unnecessary guilt.
As identified by Arthur Lavin and Susan Glaser in Baby & Toddler Sleep Solutions for Dummies (John Wiley and Sons, 2007), doctors used to think that babies did not suffer allergies before age two. However, it has since been recognised that many newborn with colic symptoms are actually in pain due to inflamed intestines, caused by allergies.
Lavin and Glaser highlight that the allergies underlying some cases of colic in breastfed babies, include protein from cow's milk, soya or other foods in the mother's diet, while bottle fed babies may be allergic to soy or cow's milk found in many infant formulas. The other recognised cause of colic is stomach acid, which results in painful heartburn, making it hardly surprising that the colicky baby is crying with pain.
Treating Babies With Colic
When a baby is suspected of suffering from allergies as an underlying cause of colic, there are simple solutions to the problem. Babies being breastfed will require the mother to stop her intake of suspected triggers, such as soya and cow's milk. Lavin and Glaser suggest that babies who are currently being bottle fed may find that symptoms begin to fade when their formula is switched to one which is "elemental." An elemental infant formula is one where all the proteins are broken down and is still nutritious, without causing the baby to suffer from allergies.
The other main cause of colic, heartburn, may be treated by safe medications used to prevent stomach acid being produced. Lavin and Glaser recommend keeping the baby upright after eating or elevating the baby's crib, as these simple steps will help keep stomach acid in the tummy.
As highlighted above, colic is typically associated with two underlying health problems, which include allergies and heartburn. Treatment for allergies in breastfed babies involves the mother avoiding soya and cow's milk, while heartburn medications may be prescribed by a paediatrician to prevent the production of stomach acid.
Source:
Lavin, A. & Glaser, S. Baby & Toddler Sleep Solutions for Dummies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, 2007.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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