Healthy babies suffer from colic which leads them to cry extensively yet without any obvious reason thus causing immense parental distress. The condition of colic manifests through babies who spend at least three hours weeping and experience the symptoms at least three times per week during three weeks of development. Infants with colic tend to cry during the later part of the day or in the evening although it becomes extremely challenging to comfort them. Doctors have recognized colic as frequent yet they have not determined what causes it to occur. Several probable factors exist that can help understand this phenomenon.
Inborn digestive deficiencies function as a potential reason for colic development in infants. After birth newborns have undeveloped stomachs along with developing intestines. The inability of developing digestive systems to properly break down milk or formula produces discomfort which causes babies to cry persistently.
Trapped air as well as gas seem to play a part in this condition. The passage of air through baby noses during feeding or crying sessions may become trapped within their small stomachs thus producing discomfort. The practice of post-feeding burping aids gas release which is why parents use this method frequently.
Experts think the main cause of colic includes an overload of sensory information from the environment. Newborns encounter their first environment thus they find overwhelming exposure to lights sounds and movements. Newborns who struggle with environmental adjustment tend to use crying as their response to acclimate themselves better.
The condition called reflux in addition to food allergy issues may contribute to colic development. The throat discomfort caused by acid reflux becomes a problem for some babies during infancy. Some infants demonstrate sensitivity to proteins found in formula as well as proteins contained in the foods consumed by their breastfeeding mothers.
The onsets of colic during infant development might represent a natural progression of growth.
The positive aspect of colic is that this condition ends after a limited period of time. Typically babies stop experiencing colic symptoms when they reach the age of three to four months. During this period parents should explore different soothing techniques with their baby including rocking the baby and giving swaddle treatment and applying white noise and altering feeding position choices. Parents should consult their doctor when a baby’s excessive crying includes additional symptoms which include vomiting or fever or the baby cannot gain weight properly.
The challenging period of colic affects babies together with their parents yet this condition does not reflect poor care or disease. The crying stage belongs to a common pattern which many babies experience and should transition naturally.