Do infantile colic attacks occur daily?

Written by Wang Lin Zhong
Pediatrics
Updated on December 21, 2024
00:00
00:00

Intestinal colic is a common phenomenon, but generally does not occur every day. Babies with intestinal colic may exhibit symptoms such as paroxysmal crying, decreased appetite, and restless sleep at night. Intestinal colic typically occurs around 6 months of age, when the baby's gastrointestinal function is not yet fully developed. At this age, the baby begins to eat solid foods, and some of these foods are hard to digest, leading to gassiness. When a baby experiences intestinal gas, it can lead to intestinal colic. You can perform gas-relief exercises for the baby or massage the abdomen clockwise, which helps expel the gas from the intestines. Additionally, you can administer probiotics orally to adjust the gut flora. If the intestinal gassiness is significant, some medications can be taken orally to absorb the excess gas in the intestines and relieve the colic. Another method to try is holding the baby in an "airplane" position to alleviate discomfort.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
48sec home-news-image

What to do about infantile colic?

If a baby experiences colic, it can often be alleviated through the following methods. First, abdominal massage can be used; parents can hold the baby and massage around the navel with both hands to improve gastrointestinal function and reduce rapid intestinal movements. Additionally, applying heat to the abdomen, using a hot water bottle or a warm towel, can also be effective. If the baby has bloating, using a soap stick or enema to help the baby expel gas can also relieve symptoms of abdominal pain. If these measures do not alleviate the baby's pain and discomfort, then it is necessary to visit the hospital for a pediatrician to perform a physical examination and assist with related imaging studies for differential diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
Pediatrics
47sec home-news-image

Can infant colic cause intestinal colic?

Infant constipation does not cause colic. The so-called constipation refers to the condition where babies aged 1 to 3 months do not defecate for several days or even more than ten days. However, these babies do not exhibit vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, or diarrhea. Once they do defecate, the stool is not dry and appears normal in shape. Constipation occurs because the baby's gastrointestinal tract is gradually developing, and their ability to digest and absorb is progressively increasing. Consequently, there is less food residue formed, which does not stimulate the bowel movement reaction. It is a normal physiological phenomenon and does not cause colic.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Lin Zhong
Pediatrics
1min 1sec home-news-image

How to determine if a baby has colic

Intestinal colic is a very common symptom in babies. It can be caused by both physiological and pathological reasons. Physiological reasons generally include improper feeding, a cold stomach, or excessive hunger. Pathological reasons typically involve acute gastroenteritis, indigestion, and so on. Intestinal colic usually occurs in the evening or at night and has a sudden onset. Mild cases may present with loss of appetite, incessant crying, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases can exhibit symptoms such as high fever, bloody stools, and even confusion. Therefore, when diagnosing intestinal colic, it is necessary to go to the hospital for relevant examinations to rule out surgical conditions. Intestinal colic is generally manageable and can be relieved with appropriate treatment. It is important to keep the baby's stomach warm, avoid overeating and binge eating, and maintain cleanliness and hygiene in their diet.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
1min home-news-image

What should babies with colic not eat?

Infantile colic, and what not to eat, depends on the cause of the colic. First, it is necessary to understand that infant colic is due to the immature development of the gastrointestinal function in infants. If some foods are not fully digested and absorbed, it can lead to increased accumulation of gas in the gut, thereby stimulating the nerves of the intestinal mucosa and causing colic. For such infants, it is best to avoid spicy, stimulating, and indigestible foods in the diet, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, etc. These foods are not easily digested and tend to produce gas. Additionally, it is important to avoid overeating, which can overburden the stomach and intestines, leading to symptoms of indigestion. Therefore, for symptoms of colic, the main approach is to control the diet, eat smaller, more frequent meals, and avoid overeating, which can worsen the burden on the stomach and intestines and exacerbate the symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
1min 7sec home-news-image

Can infantile colic cause vomiting milk?

Intestinal colic can cause vomiting. There are many reasons for intestinal colic, mainly due to the incorrect nursing posture of the mother and the baby swallowing a large amount of air when crying, leading to intestinal bloating, which then causes intestinal irritation. Additionally, it could be due to the high protein and sugar content in breast milk or formula, which increases the load on the baby's digestive system, leading to intestinal bloating and stimulating bleeding from intestinal colic. Any painful stimulus can lead to intestinal colic in babies. During pain, some of the body's emergency responses, such as gastrointestinal spasms and stomach contractions, can lead to vomiting. Therefore, it is crucial to control the diet for babies experiencing abdominal pain, especially those diagnosed with intestinal colic. It is important to monitor whether the baby has symptoms like abdominal bloating or abnormal stools. In daily life, adopting a diet of frequent small meals can help reduce acute intestinal occurrences and minimize irritation to the intestinal walls.