Parents of infants and young children often want to know what causes
colic. Parents of children who may have colic know that an infant
who exhibits the symptoms associated with colic can be very challenging.
In a baby who does not have colic, crying is a way of communicating some
sort of need. The baby may be hungry, thirsty, tired, or have a dirty diaper.
In any of these situations, it is easy for a parent to solve the problem once
they identify it, which will result in a calm baby once again. However, for parents
of infants with colic, helping a baby stop crying simply is not that easy.
So what exactly is colic?
Before any discussion of the causes of colic, it is important to define colic. Colic
is a condition where a healthy baby who has a healthy appetite cries loudly
without an apparent cause. The child will clench his or her
fists, flex the abdomen, arch the back, and often pull the knees into their
body as they scream and cry.
This is different from a typical baby crying in duration, cause, and frequency.
Colic is a fairly common issue for children, affecting about one in five infants,
and does not have any long-term effects on the children who suffer from it.
There is no known cure for colic and most infants outgrow the colic phase of
their life by the time they reach three months of age.
The causes of colic remain something of a mystery. Doctors and leading child
development experts have yet to come to an agreement about the causes. However,
there are several leading theories as to the cause of this condition.
Common theories behind colic include:
Indigestion or gas. A common symptom of colic is
gas, so many people believe that the infant may be crying due to issues with
excessive and painful gas.
Immature digestive system. This is related to the
idea that indigestion/gas cause colic in that indigestion and gas would be
symptoms of a poorly functioning digestive system. Infants are born with a
digestive system that has never digested food consumed through the mouth. As
such, the infant may be having problems digesting their food that cause discomfort
and crying. As the infant ages, the digestive system develops more fully, which
would explain why colic passes after a certain amount of time.
Allergies. Along with the link of colic to digestive
problems, some think that colic may be a reaction to certain foods that are
consumed by mothers who breastfeed or ingredients in formula. According to
this theory, the baby is unable to digest those foods or is having an allergic
reaction to them.
Temperament. Others believe that colic is a reflection
of a baby with a more sensitive temperament, making them more susceptible
to aggravation from lights, sounds, or other disturbances. As the child
gets older, he or she is better able to control the crying reaction to
stimulus, leading to the end of the colic phase.
As there is no certain cause for colic, there is no single solution to comforting
your colicky baby. Most parents find that by trying a variety of solutions,
they will eventually find one that works for them and their infant.
Shop soothing products to help with colic
For more ideas and tools to help you soothe your infant, look to line of specially
designed infant soothing products created Luna Lullaby. We offer a variety of
products such as swaddle
blankets, nursing
pillows and bouncy
balls which all can help soothe young infants who may be suffering from colic.
Congratulations on the arrival of your newest family member, and thank you for visiting Luna Lullaby.
