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| Power Style Wellness Connections |
A Word about Colic
By Nadyne Lee
The most common cause of severe crying in a
non-feverish, otherwise healthy baby is colic.
Colic is defined as crying lasting longer than three
hours a day, three days a week and continuing
more than than three weeks in infants younger than
three months old. It usually occurs after 3 p.m. and
it usually lasts only three months. But those months
can be the months from hell!
Although infants appear to be “gassy,” vomiting,
diarrhea, and fever are not symptoms associated with
colic. The underlying cause of colic isn’t known, but current research
suggests that colic is an early indicator of the baby’s temperament. So, brace
yourself. If you have a colicky baby, you may be about to raise a high-strung
child.
How to calm a crying child
Rhythmic activities soothe infants: Rock, walk, jiggle, use a wind up swing or
a vibrating chair, take a car ride, push her in a stroller, and use a baby sling
for hands free housework.
Swaddling: Secure his arms close to his body and wrap him snuggly in a
blanket.
Shushing: Make a shushing sound or play a recording of the sounds of the
beating heart (the music she heard for nine months in-utero).
Try a pacifier, a warm bath, or a massage.
Most important. Get plenty of rest and ask for help if you need it. (You may
also benefit from a warm bath and a massage.)
Medical Concerns
Any infectious process can result in crying. Urinary tract infections and ear
infections are common causes for inconsolable crying in infancy. Pneumonia
can occasionally cause crying. Although fever is the cardinal sign of infection
in older children, it is often absent in infants. A fever over 100.5 in an infant
warrants a visit to the pediatrician.
By Nadyne Lee
The most common cause of severe crying in a
non-feverish, otherwise healthy baby is colic.
Colic is defined as crying lasting longer than three
hours a day, three days a week and continuing
more than than three weeks in infants younger than
three months old. It usually occurs after 3 p.m. and
it usually lasts only three months. But those months
can be the months from hell!
Although infants appear to be “gassy,” vomiting,
diarrhea, and fever are not symptoms associated with
colic. The underlying cause of colic isn’t known, but current research
suggests that colic is an early indicator of the baby’s temperament. So, brace
yourself. If you have a colicky baby, you may be about to raise a high-strung
child.
How to calm a crying child
Rhythmic activities soothe infants: Rock, walk, jiggle, use a wind up swing or
a vibrating chair, take a car ride, push her in a stroller, and use a baby sling
for hands free housework.
Swaddling: Secure his arms close to his body and wrap him snuggly in a
blanket.
Shushing: Make a shushing sound or play a recording of the sounds of the
beating heart (the music she heard for nine months in-utero).
Try a pacifier, a warm bath, or a massage.
Most important. Get plenty of rest and ask for help if you need it. (You may
also benefit from a warm bath and a massage.)
Medical Concerns
Any infectious process can result in crying. Urinary tract infections and ear
infections are common causes for inconsolable crying in infancy. Pneumonia
can occasionally cause crying. Although fever is the cardinal sign of infection
in older children, it is often absent in infants. A fever over 100.5 in an infant
warrants a visit to the pediatrician.
