Infantile colic is defined as paroxysmal, unrelieved crying (screaming) with contracting of the legs, widening of the abdomen and increased intestinal gas. Colic is not a clearly characterised syndrome. It occurs in 10-40% of infants. Symptoms usually appear around 3 weeks of age, usually occurring between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. To diagnose intestinal colic, symptoms should persist for at least 3 hours a day, a minimum of 3 days a week. They usually disappear at 3 - 4 months of age. They affect both artificially fed and breastfed babies.
Symptoms and course infantile colic
A typical attack of intestinal colic begins with a sudden reddening of the baby's face, with a grimace of pain and a contracting of the legs. The infant then emits a squeaky cry, accompanied by a throbbing. The abdomen is bloated, excessive gas and 'overflowing' of intestinal contents are observed. Often the infant passes green stools with an admixture of mucus and simultaneous expulsion of a large amount of gas. The complaints recur periodically. The child's growth and development are not affected.
Colic symptoms can range in severity from attacks of unexplained irritability to almost continuous screaming. No clear cause for infantile colic has been identified. Among the most common causes, physiological causes are mentioned:
- nutritional: hypersensitivity to cow's milk protein and soy protein,
- gastrointestinal disorders: excessive gas due to intolerance to disaccharides, mainly lactose, excessive peristalsis, damage to the intestinal mucosa,
- hormonal : disturbances in the secretion of enterohormones, immaturity of the nervous system), due to interaction between parents and child (mother's anxiety, stress in the family)
- caused by inappropriate feeding and holdingtechniques.
When to go to the doctor and treating infantile colic
Although intestinal colic has fairly typical symptoms and a transient nature that does not affect the normal growth and development of the infant, a doctor should always be contacted in the event of intense discomfort. This is because it is necessary to rule out other causes of the observed discomfort, such as, but not limited to:
- otitis media,
- infections of the urinary tract,
- diarrhoea,
- hernia incarceration,
- allergies
- food intolerances.
Treatment infantile colic
It primarily involves preventive management, which consists of: combating parents' anxiety (making parents aware that colic is a common ailment in children and is not due to their misbehaviour), appropriate care of the baby (massaging the back or tummy, laying the baby on its tummy on a rolled up towel, administering medicines to facilitate the removal of intestinal gas - Bobotic, Espumisan, Simeticon or Ceolat and decongestant preparations - fennel, mint), the correct infant feeding technique (feeding in an elevated position and leaving the child in this position for 30 minutes after the meal, feeding in a hurry, the right amount of food - the "vicious circle" effect of overfeeding the child, special bottles and teats (for children fed artificially) preventing the swallowing of excessive amounts of air and the right size of the teat opening. Dietary management is very important - prolongation of breastfeeding, elimination from the diet of the breastfeeding mother of milk and milk products, caffeine, spices and vegetables that cause flatulence (broccoli, cabbage, beans), in some cases it is necessary to temporarily eliminate mixtures containing whole cow's milk proteins from the diet and replace them with hydrolysates.
