While it is completely natural for a newborn to enter fits of crying, parents become concerned when their little one cries for more than three hours per day. One of the most common reasons a child may exhibit this type of behavior is they are suffering from a condition known as colic. Colic is not a life-threatening circumstance, but in the meantime, it wreaks havoc on baby and family. It is believed that up to 25% of all infants will endure colic, which often starts to show signs between the 3rd and 6th week after birth. Most cases clear up on its own by the time the baby turns 3 months old.

Signs and Symptoms

Not all fussy babies are colicky. When you suspect that your healthy, well-fed infant may exhibit the signs and symptoms of colic, one of the most noticeable alerts is predictable crying episodes. Colicky babies have a habit of crying at the same time each day (generally in the late afternoon or nighttime). They may cry for only a few minutes or bawl for hours on end.

Crying episodes start without warning and with no clear reason. The crying will be intense and despite your every attempt, a colicky baby is usually inconsolable. Their face may become flushed and their posture altered. Legs curl up, fists clench, and their stomach muscles tighten.

Some parents have a hard time differentiating between the signs and symptoms associated with a colicky baby from an infant that is sick. Colicky babies display a normal sucking reflex and decent appetite. They are otherwise healthy and growing, as they should be. A sick baby may show the signs of colic, but will not take well to food or has a weakened sucking reflex.

Babies with colic enjoy cuddling and being handled, while a sick baby seems restless and hard to comfort. From time to time, a colicky baby will spit up, but when a child vomits or seems to lose weight, the attention of a doctor is needed. Colicky babies produce normal stools, while diarrhea and a bloody bowel movement are signs of sickness.

Causes of Colic

Some parents fear they have done something to cause colic in their baby, but there is no one to blame when the condition arises. Doctors are unclear why colic strikes certain babies. It was once thought that the condition surfaced due to an allergy to milk, but this is rarely true. Babies that are breastfed also develop colic; therefore some mothers attempt to change their diet in order to cease the condition, but usually with no results.

Additional theories regarding the cause of colic include the presence of gas; food passing too quickly or too slowly throughout a baby's digestive system; the baby's temperament; a slow adjustment to a day and night cycle; and undiagnosed gastroesophageal reflux disease (also referred to as GERD).

Risk Factors

It is believed that infants of mothers who smoke while pregnant or right after delivery are twice as likely to develop colic than mothers who do not smoke. A variety of additional theories are attached to colic risk factors, but none have panned out. For example, colic does not occur more in first-born children and baby formula does not add to the risk of colic. The diet of a breastfeeding mother is also an unlikely cause of colic. There is also no one sex or race that exhibits the condition over another.

Possible Treatments

To date, there isn’t one method or approach toward eliminating the presence of colic. As doctors learn more about the condition, an array of treatment options is available to make life easier for a colicky baby and his or her parents. One of the first common measures is to console a baby that is not hungry but is crying. They may respond well to sitting in a rocking chair or walking about the room with a parent.

Some parents burp their babies more often during feedings. Placing the baby across the lap on his or her stomach and rubbing the back seems to help some infants. Swings also provide comfort, as the back-and-forth motion delivers a soothing effect. Some parents strap their baby in an infant seat and go for a ride in the car, which provides a vibration that is relaxing to a baby. Some babies calm down when movement is paired with music.

Overall, colic is a common condition that eventually goes away. In the meantime, it is suggested to explore the many ways to comfort a colicky baby, while still keeping your sanity.

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