Infantile Colic

DR HON SAI KIT, CONSULTANT PAEDIATRICIAN

What is colic?

Infant crying for no apparent reason that may last for ≥3 hours per day and it occurs on ≥3 days per week in an otherwise healthy and well fed infant of < 3 months of age. This type of crying typically peaks at approximately six weeks of life and ends around fourth to fifth month.

What are the symptoms?

Colic could happen to full-term or preterm, breastfed and/or formula-fed infants. They are often described been having cry-fuss behaviour, excessive crying, irritability and unsettled without obvious cause and cannot be resolved by caregivers. They may have tense or bloated abdomen, tend to drawing up of the legs, clenching of the fingers, or arching of the back. These spells of crying occur suddenly and often cluster during the evening hours but can be present at other times as well. Infants with colic can be difficult to console, no matter what the parents do. Relief may be noted after the passage of flatus or stool.

What cause colic?

The exact cause of colic remained unknown but it could be due to multifactorial from functional increase in gut motility, overproduction of intestinal gas, faulty feeding techniques causing infant swallowing excessive air, cow’s milk protein intolerance, changes in gut microflora, change in infant psychosocial behaviour and development or maybe all of them combined.

What other symptoms paired with colic though warrant a concern?

If infants are poorly fed with other symptoms E.g. persistent vomiting or regurgitation, passing loose stool or constipation, poor weight gain or fever. It may suggest other conditions or diseases apart from infant colic.

A colicky baby is not an unhealthy baby. If you do experience your baby having such or similar symptoms please consult your doctor for further evaluation.