Three Month Colic

Symptoms

Three-month colic occurs in infants during the first few weeks of life and lasts from three to five months. Up to a quarter of all infants are affected. They manifest as frequent crying, irritability, restlessness, and bloated abdomen. The child clenches his fists, has a reddened face, tightens his legs and cries for an estimated three to six hours a day. The convulsions occur mainly in the late afternoon and evening, and the child is difficult to calm. Parents become enervated, stressed and overtired over time.

Causes

The exact causes are still a matter of debate. Colic is often attributed to gastrointestinal causes, including flatulence, an immature intestine, swallowing air, disturbances in intestinal flora, hyperalgesia, or even excessive peristalsis. It has also been speculated that it is lactose intolerance or an allergy to cow’s milk. It is possible that there is not a single but several explanations for the complaints.

Diagnosis

When making a diagnosis, pediatric treatment must rule out possible organic causes that cause similar symptoms. These include constipation, cow’s milk allergy, lactose intolerance, migraines, infectious diseases, and injuries. So frequent crying and screaming does not automatically suggest three-month colic.

Nonpharmacologic treatment

The symptoms pass on their own after three to a maximum of five months, and it is assumed that they have no organic cause.

  • Reassure the child as much as possible (pacifier, moving, rocking, holding, playing, singing…).
  • Parents should give the child to acquaintances or family members from time to time when it becomes too much for them.
  • If breastfed, continue to breastfeed, do not switch to adapted milk.
  • The infant should not swallow air when drinking.
  • Adjust the diet if there is an intolerance or allergy.
  • For bottle-fed infants, try a change of adapted milk.
  • Put warm compresses, a beeswax pad, a Chriesisteisäckli or a hot water bottle on the abdomen.
  • Light abdominal massage
  • Creating a “pacing diary” to find out influencing factors.

Drug treatment

Remedy for flatulence:

Probiotics:

  • Like can possibly normalize the disturbed balance of intestinal flora. Because of the good tolerability is possible to try therapy.

Sugar:

  • A sugar solution (eg, 12%, 2 ml) can soothe the infant. A disadvantage is the possible development of caries in children who teethe early. However, the first milk teeth usually break through after 6 months.

Anticholinergics:

  • Anticholinergics appear to be suitable for treatment because they are antispasmodic and slow down peristalsis, which may be increased. For example, dicyclomine and cimetropium bromide have been used in the United States. However, the potential adverse effects pose a problem. From our point of view, the drugs should therefore be used only very cautiously.

Alternative medicine: