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| |    Why Does Colic Happen? by Dr. Benjamin Spock reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Normal, fretful crying By the time they are a couple of weeks old (in premature infants this usually begins at 42 weeks gestation) almost all babies have fretful periods that we can't explain exactly. The time babies spend fretting tends to increase until they are six to eight weeks old, and then, mercifully, begins to diminish. For most babies, these fretful periods are brief, happen only once in a while, and quickly cease when the baby's needs are met. Colic However, for perhaps 1 out of 10 babies who are healthy and well fed, these crying periods occur more frequently and are much harder to stop. They scream inconsolably, sometimes for long periods. This is the kind of baby people say has "colic." However, colic means pain from the intestines, and it's not at all clear that this is the cause of crying in these infants. Anyone who has had a colicky baby can tell you that it is one of the hardest things to deal with as a parent. You feel worried, helpless, and often resentful, as well. Your child's doctor can help you understand and cope with this condition, as can the information on this site. Evening criers There seem to be two distinct patterns of crying in infants with colic. For some, the crying is generally limited to one period in the evening, typically 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The infant is contented and easy to soothe for most of the day, but when evening rolls around, the trouble begins. He cries, sometimes inconsolably, for the next few hours. This raises a question: What is happening in the early evening that makes him so fretful? If it were indigestion, for example, he would have it at any time of day, not just in the evening. This so-called paroxysmal fussing is a fascinating mystery. Tense, all-day criers Other infants cry at any and all times of day or night. Some of these infants also seem to be generally somewhat tense and jumpy. Their bodies don't relax well. They startle easily or cry at slight noises or with any quick change of position. If, for instance, a baby is laid on his back on a firm surface and rolls to one side, or if he is held too loosely in the arms, or if the person carrying him moves him too suddenly, he may almost jump out of his skin. He may hate a tub bath for the first couple of months for this reason. Parents naturally are distressed to have their baby so unhappy and think that something is terribly wrong. They wonder how long the child can keep this up and not become exhausted. They wonder how long they can stand it. The strange thing is that colicky and irritable babies usually prosper from the physical point of view. In spite of hours of crying, they continue to gain weight and appear perfectly healthy. What causes colic? We don't really know the reasons for or the meaning of these patterns of crying behavior. We only know that they commonly occur and that they gradually peter out, usually by three or four months of age. You should know that it is rare for an infant to be colicky because of anything the parent is doing wrong. There are a lot of theories for what causes colic. Each of these theories is probably correct for some babies, but no one explanation fits for all babies:
• The intestinal tract is immature and goes into spasms. • Stomach acid comes up after feeding, causing pain. • The infant swallows a lot of air during feeding. • The infant is underfed. • There is a temporary hormonal imbalance. • The nervous system is overly sensitive to the world and is getting too much stimulation. • The infant has an intense temperament. In Summary Generally, colic starts on the inside. The environment can make it better or worse, but it can't cause colic in the first place.
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