What is Colic?
"Colic comes from the word “colon” and generally is the result of a weak valve between the small intestines and large intestines."
Colic is an extremely misunderstood condition, but it is very important to understand the true definition of colic. Colic comes from the word “colon” and generally is the result of a weak valve between the small intestines and large intestines. If the valve is too weak and does not close properly, digestion repeats itself in the small intestines and gas builds up creating sharp pains. Many babies may be exhibiting symptoms of colic without the parents realizing the cause of the problem. Most people believe that the signs of colic are for a baby to cry for three or more hours per day for at least three days per week and continuing for at least three months, however, this is not true. Some babies suffering from colic may only grunt or have trouble sleeping, for example. An extensive list of symptoms can be found here.
Colic is Often Misunderstood by the Medical Community
"One thing I constantly hear is that newborn babies have immature digestive systems and that almost all infants outgrow colic by the end of six months. Over the years, I have found that many babies do improve, however, the condition of poor digestion and abnormal bowel function is still present in some form."
Colic is described as persistent, unexplained crying in a healthy baby between two weeks and five months. Medicine states that all babies go through a fussy period, but when crying lasts longer than about three hours a day and is not caused by a medical problem such as a hernia, infection, or conditions such as failure to thrive, then it is called colic. Another source states that helping a child with colic is primarily a matter of experimentation and observation. It is estimated that healthy, young infants cry between one and five hours out of twenty-four. It is also said that colic doesn't last forever and that at six weeks of age, colic begins improving and will generally be gone in about twelve weeks. They claim that if persistent crying continues beyond the twelve weeks, the baby would probably end up being diagnosed with acid reflux, with which you will usually see an increase in spitting up or projectile vomiting may even occur.
In my experience with crying babies, the diagnosis of allergies and lactose intolerance is constantly given. Mothers are told to stop dairy products to see if the baby will improve. In the 40 years I have been treating colicky babies, only a fraction of mothers were affected by milk in their diet. When a new baby is brought in for treatment, it has been my experience that previous advice given to many mothers by other medical practitioners was to stop drinking dairy because their baby must be lactose intolerant, despite the fact that the mother has never had a problem with dairy.
One thing I constantly hear is that newborn babies have immature digestive systems, which is why they claim that almost all infants outgrow colic by the end of six months. Over the years, I have found that many babies do improve, however, the condition of poor digestion and abnormal bowel function is still present in some form. Constipation seems to be the most common complaint and many children take some form of stool softener, such as Miralax, to keep their bowel movements regular.
If you watch television, many of the advertisements show that a very high percentage of adults also have digestive problems, which happen to be very similar to a baby’s colic. If you do your own independent research, you will also find that colic is common in adults as well as children and you will also see that it is very common in horses. It is my belief that with more research, you too will find that most living beings have frequent digestive problems.
In my experience with crying babies, the diagnosis of allergies and lactose intolerance is constantly given. Mothers are told to stop dairy products to see if the baby will improve. In the 40 years I have been treating colicky babies, only a fraction of mothers were affected by milk in their diet. When a new baby is brought in for treatment, it has been my experience that previous advice given to many mothers by other medical practitioners was to stop drinking dairy because their baby must be lactose intolerant, despite the fact that the mother has never had a problem with dairy.
One thing I constantly hear is that newborn babies have immature digestive systems, which is why they claim that almost all infants outgrow colic by the end of six months. Over the years, I have found that many babies do improve, however, the condition of poor digestion and abnormal bowel function is still present in some form. Constipation seems to be the most common complaint and many children take some form of stool softener, such as Miralax, to keep their bowel movements regular.
If you watch television, many of the advertisements show that a very high percentage of adults also have digestive problems, which happen to be very similar to a baby’s colic. If you do your own independent research, you will also find that colic is common in adults as well as children and you will also see that it is very common in horses. It is my belief that with more research, you too will find that most living beings have frequent digestive problems.
