The term “Colic” means intestine in Greek and colon in English. Colicky baby refers to persistent crying of infants. Sometimes parents don’t understand the reason for their babies crying. It was quite common practice in olden times to give sedative medications for crying infants. Colic can cause increased concern for the mother and it can be frustrating. Without obvious reason if a well-fed baby cries for more than 3 hours a day it can definitely cause worry for the parents.
Colicky baby is one that cries for more than 3 hours a day. This phenomenon occurs predominantly in infants below 2 months of age. Even healthy infants do cry repeatedly due to problems in the digestive system or sudden stomach cramps. It is still a mystery to identify and understand why babies are crying indefinitely. Any baby that cries repeatedly for 3 days in a week and it continues to cry for 3 weeks or more can be categorized under colicky baby. Colic problem would begin in 2 weeks for infants born after full term of pregnancy and it gradually goes away when the baby is 3 months old.
Colic Baby Causes :
What exactly causes colic is not known till date and medical experts attribute this problem of crying to certain factors. Any spasm or stomach pain can cause the baby to cry frequently. For some infants, certain hormones can cause fussy mood and can trigger stomach pain. Some babies respond by crying when exposed to lighting or noisy situations. In rare cases growing nervous system can also induce frequent crying in infants.
Any pressure exerted on the brain and nervous system can cause pain. Sometimes, the infant cries due to serious health issue like irregular heartbeat or inflammation in the body. Babies can get irritated for many reasons. Colic baby syndrome can occur due to intestinal pain, trouble in normal breathing, infections and increase in brain pressure or eye pain etc. Go for regular checkups with your baby doctor who can assess the situation rightly. The baby can easily get angry due to acid reflux, an infection and improper digestion. In case you are not able to find out the cause for frequent crying of your baby, it is better to get him/her checked with your pediatrician.