Colic (Infantile Colic)

Colic means frequent symptom of abdominal pain, presumably of intestinal origin and severe crying associated with it. It usually occurs in infants under 3 months of age.

Clinical manifestations

A characteristic colic attack usually begins suddenly, cry is loud and continuous and persisits for several hours. Face of baby is flushed, abdomen is distended and tense, legs are drawn up on abdomen and feet are cold and hands are clenched. Attack is terminated when baby is exhausted or with passage of faeces or flatus. Recurrent attacks commonly occur in late afternoon or evening.

Causes

Certain infants are susceptible to colic. Cause is usually not apparent but may be associated with hunger, swallowed air, overfeeding, and foods with high carbohydrate content. It is also seen in infants with cow milk allergy.

Careful physical examination of baby is required to eliminate the possibility of hair in eye, ear infection, renal problems, and surgical condition like intususception and strangulated hernia.

Treatment

There is no single factor consistently accounting for colic nor does any treatment consistently provide satisfactory relief in colic. Making the baby lie prone, holding the baby upright or applying hot water bottle occasionally helps. Passage of flatus or faeces spontaneously or with suppository or enema sometimes gives relief. Carminetives are ineffective and antisposmodics help in resistant cases. Colic rarely persists after 3 months of age.

Prevention of Colic Attack

Improving feeding techniques, burping after feeds, stable emotional environment, avoiding under feeding and overfeeding of baby and avoidance of allergenic food in baby’s and nursing mother’s diet helps in prevention of colic.