What is infant colic?

What is infant colic?

For moms and dads:

Although it is not clear what exactly it is and what causes infant colic, it is shown that there is a direct influence from the digestive system in this transient painful process that some babies suffer.
Infant colic is a set of symptoms that give rise to a syndrome whose nature is not well defined. It is characterized by inconsolable crying, paroxysmal, intense and benign.
One of the most obvious causes are gastrointestinal, due to intolerances or lack of maturity or development of the baby's digestive system (lack of microflora, motility ...)

For healthcare professionals:

Infant colic or infantile colic is a typical disorder in newborns and in the first months of life, which is characterized by intense and prolonged crying without apparent cause.

The prevalence of this disorder varies between 15-40% (Ferrer Lorente B, Ferrer Lorente MB, Dalmau Serra J. Infant colic. Midwives. Prof. 2005; 6: 20-21) of infants and infants in the first months of life. Infant colic is a frequent problem in the consultation of Primary Care pediatricians and in hospital emergencies.
According to the NASPGHAN, American Association of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, 1 in 4 children are affected by infant colic.
There is no sign or symptom that can be considered typical of infantile colic in infants, since signs classically related to this entity (expression of pain, lower limb flexion, intense skin redness, elimination of gas from the rectum, etc ...) They can occur in infants without colic during other crying episodes.
These episodes, although they can occur at any time of the day or night, usually occur in the evening.
Colic can be aggravated by overfeeding, undiluted juices, food allergies and emotional stress.
(Demott K, Blick D, Noman R, Ritchie G, Tumbuli N, Adams C, Barry C, Byrom S, Elliman D, Marchant S, Mccandish R, Mellows H, Neale C, Parkar M, Talt P, Taylor C (2006 ): Clinical guidelines and evidence review for post natal care: routine postnatal care of recently delivered women and their babies. London: National collaborating center for primary care and royal college of general pactitioners.)
There is no specific cause and several hypotheses have been proposed, probably related to each other: (C. Calvo Romero. Prevention and treatment of infant colic. Bol Pediatr 2010; 50: 197-202)

1) Gastrointestinal causes:
The physiological immaturity or lack of "filming" in the gastrointestinal tract would generate hypertonicity and tension throughout the tissue of the entire digestive system, also causing a slowdown in the peristalsis of these babies. Some authors also point to the existence of hypertonia in the anal sphincter. Within the gastrointestinal cause, we will deepen and review in the "Myths Review" section of this website, the following factors as possible triggers of colic:
Hormonal factors, Lactose intolerance Alteration of the intestinal microflora, Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, Gastroesophageal reflux and Constipation.

2) Dietary causes:
Infant colic can be generated regardless of whether the baby receives breastfeeding or artificial breastfeeding, but in recent years it has been attributed as a possible cause to cow's milk proteins. In breastfed children, there may be a passage of cow's milk protein through the mother's breast to the baby, which could justify the presence of colic in these children. In the "Myths review" section of this website, we delve deeply and inform ourselves based on the available studies this possible cause.

3) Psychological causes:
A misinterpretation of the inconsolable crying of babies can contribute to not attenuate or perpetuate infant colic. It cannot be affirmed that a mishandling by parents can be a cause in itself.
Socio-economic factors, mother's anxiety, mother's smoking habits, as well as her age have also been related.
In the "Myths review" section of this website, we delve deeper into this possible cause.

4) Neurological immaturity:
Undoubtedly, infant colic is a manifestation of rapid growth and adaptation of the Central Nervous System to the new post-natal life.
The new sleep-wake rhythm, and its adaptation as the following weeks occur at birth, could explain the remission of colic symptoms.
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