New parents learn early on that babies experience a multitude of stomach problems, most not serious but still concerning to new moms and dads. It's a rare baby that doesn't have at least an occasional bout with colic, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, gas, bloating or other digestive upset. Some tummy troubles can indicate a serious disorder requiring medical attention.
Colic
The thought of having a colicky baby strikes fear into the heart of many expectant parents. But not all babies get colic, and not all crying babies have colic. Your baby may have colic if she cries for more than three hours a day at least three times a week and the crying for no discernible reason starts in the first three weeks of life, according to AskDrSears.com. Colicky babies appear to have stomach pain, draw their legs up to their stomach and expel gas. They don't necessarily vomit, spit up or have diarrhea. Colic usually fades gradually after three months, leaving behind exhausted parents.
Reflux
Reflux, which affects most babies to some degree, differs from colic. Reflux occurs when the muscle that keeps food in the stomach after eating doesn't close completely, allowing food to enter the esophagus. Some babies with reflux vomit. Milk stays in the esophagus before returning to the stomach, where it belongs. Babies with severe reflux may experience burning and scarring in the esophagus from the acidic contents of the stomach. They may cry, arch their backs, eat poorly, gain little weight and vomit frequently. Reflux, like colic, usually improves with age, although some babies need medication to decrease their stomach acid production or preventive measures such as being held upright after a meal to help food go down and stay down.
Diarrhea
Many infants, especially if breastfed, have runny and frequent stools. Defining diarrhea in these babies can be difficult, but an increase in the frequency or runny consistency of the stool can indicate diarrhea. Fever and refusing to drink can escalate diarrhea into dehydration, which needs prompt treatment. Causes of diarrhea can include viruses such as rotavirus, which causes 5 percent to 10 percent of all cases of diarrhea in children under age 5, according to eMedTV, bacterial illnesses and allergies. If your baby has loose stool more than eight times a day accompanied by fever, call the doctor. If she refuses to drink, has sunken eyes or a sunken soft spot on the top of the head, dry mouth and lips, no tears when crying and skin that stay in place you pull it up, seek immediate medical attention. Babies can die from severe diarrhea.
Structural Problems
Tummy trouble can require surgery in some cases, notably pyloric stenosis and intussusception. Around 3 out of 1,000 babies, mostly firstborn males between 3 and 5 weeks old, develop pyloric stenosis, according to KidsHealth. Unlike reflux, which affects the muscle between the esophagus and stomach, pyloric stenosis affects the muscle between the stomach and small intestine, which thickens and narrows the passage. The baby begins to vomit feedings with increasing force. He may fail to gain weight and pass little stool. Pyloric stenosis requires surgical repair. Intussusception affects 1 in 1,200 babies, mostly boys between 3 and 24 months of age, the Cleveland Clinic reports. In this disorder, one part of the intestine telescopes into another, causing nausea, vomiting, lethargy and abdominal pain that becomes progressively worse. The baby may pass stools with mucus and blood. Intussusuception also needs surgical intervention.
