Does infantile colic occur every day?

Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
Updated on April 11, 2025
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Episodes of infantile colic are unpredictable, yet if digestive system abnormalities occur frequently over a short period, they can lead to daily colic episodes with a variety of causes. For instance, babies tend to cry or swallow large amounts of air due to rapid feeding, leading to intestinal gas and stimulating the intestinal mucosal nerves, resulting in colic. Additionally, certain substances in breast milk or formula, such as excessive sugars or fats, can cause indigestion and excessive intestinal gas production, further stimulating colic. When such symptoms appear, parents should first rule out surgical issues like intestinal intussusception or obstruction. Colic episodes can be alleviated through abdominal massage and dietary adjustments.

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Written by Liu Li
Pediatrics
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Can drinking milk relieve baby's colic?

If the baby experiences colic, drinking milk not only fails to alleviate it, but can also easily increase the symptoms. It's best for the mother to give the baby an abdominal massage in a clockwise direction, and also choose some prone positions. It's best to opt for exclusive breastfeeding, as such situations are mostly caused by gastrointestinal overload. Therefore, administering probiotics to the baby can effectively provide relief and further observation can continue. When feeding the baby, it is important to choose a good feeding position and to burp the baby promptly after each feeding.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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How to deal with colic in a 40-day-old baby?

It is very common for babies to experience intestinal colic, especially because the gastrointestinal system of a 40-day-old baby is not yet fully developed. In such cases, you can perform a clockwise massage on the child's abdomen, centered around the navel, for ten minutes each time. You can also do some gas relief exercises for the child, which are beneficial in alleviating intestinal colic. Additionally, you can hold the child in an airplane hold, or use a warm towel to apply heat to the baby's abdomen to relieve intestinal spasms and colic. If the baby's intestinal colic remains particularly severe, it may be necessary to administer some medications that adjust the intestinal flora. Also, it is advisable to engage the child in more outdoor activities to prevent crying due to calcium deficiency.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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Symptoms of infantile colic

The symptoms of infant colic mainly occur at night as paroxysmal crying, commonly seen in babies from two weeks to three months old. A warm compress can be applied to the baby's belly centered around the navel, and clockwise abdominal massage can be performed for ten minutes, three times a day. If the baby is under six months old, the mother needs to pay attention to a light and easily digestible diet. If the baby is over six months old, their complementary foods should be given in small, frequent meals, and avoid overfeeding to prevent binge eating. It is important to focus on prevention usually, and after each feeding, make sure to pat the baby gently for about ten minutes and perform clockwise abdominal massages between feedings to prevent issues.

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Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
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What are the symptoms of infantile colic?

Infantile colic is more common and mostly occurs in infants under three months of age. It is characterized by paroxysmal crying, with the infant crying loudly for several hours. During an attack, the face often turns flush, the area around the mouth is pale, and the abdomen is bloated and tense. This is usually accompanied by tightly clenched hands, and symptoms may slightly relieve after passing gas or having a bowel movement. There are many causes of colic, often related to the infant's own constitution, especially food allergies which can exacerbate symptoms. Additionally, respiratory infections, abdominal chilling, overeating, or accumulation of intestinal gas can also trigger symptoms of colic.

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Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
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Do babies with colic always want to breastfeed?

If a baby has colic, they will not continuously want to nurse. This is because colic often occurs due to intestinal gas or unexpelled intestinal secretions, causing irritable spasms of the stomach and intestines. In this case, nursing might actually worsen the symptoms of abdominal pain. Therefore, the baby often exhibits inexplicable crying and appears to be in severe pain, with symptoms including curled legs, occasional abdominal distension, and abdominal tympany upon percussion. At this time, the baby may refuse to eat. Therefore, when colic occurs, we can alleviate it through abdominal massage and by performing gas-relieving exercises. Since colic is a clinical manifestation of digestive dysfunction, it is advisable in daily life to supplement with probiotics, and to provide abdominal massages and dietary adjustments, including eating light, liquid, and easily digestible foods, to help relieve colic.