Colic Health Video

Colic can be quite challenging for parents. It is defined as crying more than three hours a day, three days a week for more than three weeks in an otherwise well-fed, healthy baby. Colic usually starts a few weeks after birth and often improves by age 3 months. Learn about the different cause, symptoms, and treatment for colic in this health video.

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Swaddle & cuddle the baby
Offer a pacifier to the baby
Contact your doctor if symptoms persists

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP: Hello. My name is Dr. Sue McGladerry. I'm the medical director from the FirstMed Centers in Budapest, Hungary and I'd like to talk briefly about colic. This is something that occurs in almost all babies. Colic or infantile colic is the condition when crying lasts for more than three hours per day and is not due to a medical problem such as hernia or infection. It typically starts at around three weeks of age with a peak at four to six weeks of age. Fortunately, it usually passes by 12 weeks, hence the name three-month colic. It usually starts at the end of a long day and the baby begins in a regular way to scream every evening of the same time. The sudden onset with the legs drawn up and the screaming may last minutes or even hours. Typically, it settles when the baby is exhausted, sometimes after passing gas or stool. It's very tough on parents and causes a lot of anxiety, frustration, and exhaustion at the time when caring for a small baby is already very demanding. Colicky infants usually eat well and gain weight normally. What's the cause of this problem? It seems to be an unusual sensitivity to stimulation with possible triggers like increased intestinal gas, hunger, or overfeeding. Some breastfed babies are also intolerant of foods that are in the mother's diet. Bottle-fed babies on the other hand may be intolerant of proteins in the formula milk. Sometimes, things like fear, frustration, or just excitement can lead to worse problems of colic. How's it diagnosed? Usually, just on the basis of the history, but a careful physical examination of the baby is necessary at the onset to exclude other problems. Sometimes, colicky pains can be due to problems such hernia or intussusception, maybe a hair tourniquet on the one fingers, or problem such as an ear infection. What about the treatment of this condition? Sometimes, it can be quite be frustrating to find something that will soothe the baby and you need to try and see what works best for you and your baby. Things that often work include swaddling or rocking the baby, cuddling or massaging, holding in an upright position, or offering a pacifier. Also, simple things like singing a lullaby can be very soothing for the baby. You need to talk to your doctor about possible medications that you could use to help with this problem such as simethicone drops. The good news is that colic is a benign condition, the baby usually grows out of it by around three months of age, but you always need to call your doctor if you're concerned. It's very important in such a young child not to miss a serious condition. If you're baby's crying pattern or behavior changes suddenly for example, crying associated with fever or forceful vomiting, diarrhea, or bloody stools that can indicate a much more serious problem and you need to see your doctor urgently.

Colic Health Video

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