What to do if your baby has colic?

Colic is a symptom that often occurs in infants. The most obvious manifestation is that the baby may cry and make a fuss for a long time or in paroxysmal periods. It is an acute abdominal pain in children. Generally speaking, infant colic is caused by the baby swallowing a lot of air, overfeeding, milk allergy, sensitivity to stimuli, etc. So, how to treat infant colic? Let me introduce you to the relevant knowledge below!

Symptoms

Colic cannot actually be classified as a disease in the true sense. It actually refers to the phenomenon that a newborn baby cries for a long time and is difficult to control. Some pediatricians have defined it as follows. Generally speaking, if a baby in very good health cries for about three hours a day, and if this happens on three or more days a week, and there is no sign of improvement after three weeks, then the baby can be diagnosed with colic.

Some infants may experience sudden loud crying that may last for hours or occur in fits and starts. When the baby cries, the face gradually turns red, the area around the mouth turns pale, the abdomen becomes swollen and tense, the legs curl up, the feet become cold, and the hands are clenched. Holding, coaxing, or feeding cannot relieve the crying. The baby will eventually stop when he or she is exhausted, passes gas, or has a bowel movement. This phenomenon is usually called infant colic. This is pain caused by strong contractions of the smooth muscles of the infant's intestinal wall or intestinal flatulence. It is the most common type of acute abdominal pain in children. It often occurs at night, mostly in infants under 3 months old, and is more common in infants who are easily excited, excited and irritable.

Pathogenesis

What factors can induce colic? (1) Babies swallow a lot of air when they are sucking milk and also inhale a lot of air when they cry. This forms bubbles that move in the intestines and cause abdominal pain. (2) Overfeeding causes the stomach to expand excessively and cause discomfort, and the baby will cry when hungry. (3) Milk allergy induces intestinal colic. (4) Excitable babies are sensitive to various stimuli and easily get excited and cry.

Simple treatment methods

When an infant has colic, the patient should be held upright with the head resting on the patient's shoulder. The patient should be patted on the back to expel excess air from the stomach and the patient's abdomen should be gently massaged with the hands. A hot water bottle wrapped in cloth can also be placed on the infant's abdomen to relieve intestinal cramps. If the infant has severe abdominal distension, a pediatric suppository should be used to facilitate bowel movements and exhaust gas. The patient should be closely observed. If the infant has fever, pale complexion, repeated vomiting, bloody stools, etc., the patient should be taken to the hospital for examination immediately and treatment should not be delayed.