Recognizing the Symptoms of Infant Colic
30th July 2009 by Babies No CommentsThere are several distinct varieties of colic with all different implications. For instance, equine colic is a deadly condition for horses. Renal colic is an agonizing pain connected with kidney stones. While infant colic may sound agonizing to the shrieking infant, the good news is that it is neither permanent, nor dangerous. In fact, colic is a spasmodic pain suffered by around one quarter of all babies that will more often than not go away by itself, within around four months.
Even though it is only a hypothesis, it is thought that gas in the intestines and stomach becomes trapped which might explain the cause of colic in newborn babies. The baby experiences sharp pain shortly after feeding because he or she are unable to breakdown the milk sugar content properly, and therefore experiences painful stomach acids and a bloated feeling. Additionally, swallowing too much air during feeding may add to the overall discomfort that the infant experiences. For these babies, it is recommended that a homeopathic remedy like Colic Calm gripe water be used for infant colic treatment. Colic Calm is a homeopathic blend of chamomile, fennel, caraway, peppermint, ginger, aloe, lemon balm, blackthorn and vegetable charcoal. As well as providing calming relief for baby, the natural ingredients also stimulate the body’s digestive processes. Similarly, a colon massage or burping the baby might help alleviate the symptoms too.
Additional hypotheses point to the possible deficiency of healthy micro-organisms, called gut flora, as being the cause of colic in babies. The average human body has anywhere from three hundred up to one thousand different species of gut flora living in the stomach which assist in the digestive process. It has been found that some babies are lacking in the particular micro-organism that helps with the breakdown of the milk sugar content in baby milk feed. In this case, Pro-biotics similar to a Lactobacillus acidophilus supplement or Lactase have been known to help.
Different scientific schools of thought suggest that newborn baby gas and colic is simply a baby’s healthy expression of birth trauma and stress, rather than suppressing feelings. Warm baths, massages and essential oils might naturally provide relief for the baby. It is also important that the parents seek colic help to talk out their frustration. It is easy to become frustrated or feel detached during this period and it is crucial that parents get some time away from the situation to recuperate.
While a lot of infant colic cases are treated with an anti-spasmodic drug found in anti-diarrhea medication called dicyclamine, other physicians say the “Five S” treatment is a more naturally effectual answer. With this remedy, Swaddle the colicky baby, place the baby on his or her side or stomach, make a “shhhh” sound in the baby’s ear and give the infant something to suck on, like a comforter.
