Colic in babies is a syndrome that occurs between
2 weeks and 4 months of age and in a healthy infant, regardless of the type of
breastfeeding, whether breastfeeding, mixed or formula. It is characterized by
a sudden and inconsolable crying that is more prevalent in the afternoon and
even at night (circadian rhythm) and in which the baby has a flexor pattern.
Theoretically, if a baby has "episodes of intense and
vigorous crying at least 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks in
a healthy and well-fed baby" we would speak of colic. It is a very general
theory that, in my opinion, should not be valid, since all children with
inconsolable crying are identified as colic in which we cannot identify the
true causes. Thus, becoming a disaster drawer that can be used for many
pathologies where we put all babies for not knowing the reason for their
crying. That is why it is important to distinguish what problem the baby is
having and not camouflage everything with the name "colic".
Causes:
Infant younger than 3-4 months can have various causes of
pain, there is usually no single cause, but there are usually several causes.
Next, I explain the most common ones to be able to identify them:
1. Incorrect feeding guidelines
Taking them at fixed times and a recommended amount is a
mistake, your baby may need more food on a specific day and you do not provide
it because the behaviours were to give an exact amount and from time to time.
Every day is not the same and you must give the breastfeed on demand. If we do
not give him what he needs, the baby will eat with anxiety generating gases and
generating greater discomfort.
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| Incorrect Fedding Guidelines |
2. Stimuli
Infants need stimuli to develop their brain, posture
changes, affective stimuli. It is very easy to diagnose, if they do not receive
these stimuli they complain and when receiving continuous changing stimuli, it
calms down.
High need babies fit here. Their brain development is faster
than usual and they need more stimuli, be they affective, moving or sensitive.
In these children they take a 10-minute nap and are 4-5 hours non-stop, they
are exhausting children. He complains after 2 seconds of standing and they do
it out of need of stimuli, offer them as soon as possible because this is not a
whim. As we get along with them, as we give them more stimuli, their anxiety
level decreases and their nervousness level improves.
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| Stimuli |
3. Intestinal flora
When an infant is born, it does not have flora in his
gastrointestinal tract, the first to enter may be lactobacillus (good), but if
other germs that are anaerobic enter, they will generate more gas, there would
be the problem. The solution is probiotics to plant lactobacillus and modify
the flora. They are continually entering maybe at first it was fine but then
anaerobic germs can enter.
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| Intestinal Flora |
4. Artificial feeding
Colic is more common in bottle-feeding infant than
breastfeeding, due to intolerance of cow's milk protein or lactose. When they
are intolerant, they usually have skin irritation, a tendency to vomit, they do
not gain enough weight, many gas and acid poop that irritates the bottom. The
solution would be to change normal artificial milk for hydrolyzed milk and
control the mother's diet in the event that feeding is mixed. Another option is
artificial milk based on goat's milk since it is more digestible and requires
less acid production. Also watch that the infants eat when they want, babies
who usually take a bottle do so with marked guidelines for quantity and time,
and the breast is usually made on demand.
Mixed feeding: this type of feeding helps feed the
baby in the event that breast milk is insufficient for multiple reasons such as
the amount of milk produced, poor suction grip, mother's schedule or other
circumstances that are not suitable for the breastfeeding. The goal should be
to maintain breastfeeding as much as possible. Breast milk production increases
in the morning and decreases at night, so if the child is more active in the
evening, we have to resort to more bottle feeding. The solution would be to try
to make more feedings in the morning and in the afternoon with breast milk, and
decrease the feedings with artificial milk at night, so that it adjusts more to
the production of natural milk. It is important not to combine breast and
bottle in the same feed, because if we do not empty the breast every time it is
hungry, the mother will never have enough milk capacity for her baby to feed
properly.
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| Artificial Feeding |
5. Acid reflux
It may happen that the baby produces an amount of
gastroesophageal acid that is higher than normal. The symptoms and signs are
clear, he interrupts the breastfeeding arching back, feeling that something is
rising upwards but they never shrunk. He even wakes up at night arching back,
grimacing as disgust because the food comes. If he lies down, he starts crying
and incorporated he is better, being able to throw food or not throwing it
through his mouth, implying the possible burn of the tongue and turning white
can also that the milk is cut and smells like vomit.
The causes can be various, the allergy to the milk the
infant is drinking, the disturbed intestinal flora or he eats with great
anxiety when spacing the feedings. One or several of them at a time can cause acid
reflux. The solution could provide an antacid and maintain the treatment
prescribed by the doctor, to lower the dose later, it usually takes effect
between 3-10 days. Another option would be to welcome feedings more often, so
that the child eats with the least anxiety possible, generates less acidity,
gives him time to assimilate and does not ebb. The infant shouldn't be more
than two hours without eating, bottle or breastfeeding, and at night he sleeps
what he wants. There are also specific bottles that help you eat with less
anxiety.
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| Acid Reflux |
6. Constipation or Pseudo-constipation
In most cases, the child is not able to open the external
anal sphincter. At first, he has no strength to close and has no problem
pooping, but as they get older, he does. It only opens if the child opens it,
usually comes and squeezes, but does not know how to do it, so he tries again
and again. It does not usually cause crying, but not to squeeze and when it
poops it is soft, so it is not constipation. It did not come out because the
sphincter was closed, the treatment is rectal probes, microenemas or, the best
of all options, to estimulate the anus with a small touch with a wipe to help
relax the sphincter.
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| Constipation |
Practical example
High need baby if I do not give him the necessary stimuli,
has more anxiety and generates more gastroesophageal acid causing reflux. If
you also have an intolerance to lactose or cow's milk protein, the clinical becomes
complicated. Having to treat all possible causes simultaneously, first to
improve and then we are removing measures to narrow the circle and know exactly
what is happening to it.
I hope you have learned something more about "baby
colic", be happy!
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| Happy Baby |
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