Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.
COLIC
SYMPTOMS
Colic is not a disease but a pattern of persistent, prolonged crying. Doctor considers it colic if an otherwise healthy infant up to three months old exhibits the following behavior:
• Loud crying lasting three hours or more for three or more days a week, over a period of more than three weeks.
• Prolonged crying between 6:00 p.m. and midnight in a baby that has been fed.
• While crying, the baby draws his legs to his abdomen and clenches his hands and curls his toes; his face alternately flushes and pales with the effort of crying.
• Episode of crying that sometimes begin or end with a bowel movement or the passing of gas.
WHAT IS COLIC
About 20 percent of all infants suffer from colic spates of crying that go on for hours for no apparent reason. Although distressing for the child and exhausting and emotionally draining for parents, the condition itself is benign and usually ends by the time a child is four months old.
CAUSES
The causes of colic are not known. Experts attribute it to any number of things, including an infant’s immature digestive system, allergies, hormones in breast milk, and overfeeding.
TREATMENT
There is no cure for colic, although many at home remedies have sooth helpful in soothing colicky babies. Any of those listed on page 273 may work for your child. It is important to remain calm; communication of your own anxiety or frustration to a colicky child will probably result in more crying. Above all, never punish a colicky baby. If you feel yourself near the breaking point, ask someone else to stay with your child while you rest or get away to compose yourself.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
If you suspect your child has colic, call your paediatrician. After ruling out possible medical causes of prolonged crying, such as obits media or respiratory problems, most doctors recommend simple home management techniques. Some encourage parents to talk with other parents for support. If you have gone through colic with an older child, you may decide to call the doctor only if you think you’re colicky infant is sick.
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
ACCUPRESSSURE
Manipulating certain acupressure points may sooth a crying child. See the Appendix for help in locating these points. Apply pressure to the webbed area between your child’s thumb and index figure on either hand. Gently massage conception vessel 12, above your child navel, and the corresponding points near the spine. Applying pressure to stomach 36 may also quite your child.
HERBAL THERAPIES
Teas made with herbs containing carminative oils, which reduce inflammation in the bowels and lessen gas production, may help a colicky child. Try teas made of chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, or dill.
HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathic medicine offers several over the counter colic remedies that are considered safe to use without prior consultation with a homeopath. Seek help from a professional if your child does not respond to a remedy within 24 hours.
AT HOME REMEDIES
Maintain consistent pattern of comfort. Consistency will help you avoid getting locked into a behavioural problem with your child later. If one of these methods brings the child relief, stick with it.
• Give your baby a pacifier.
• Motion can relieve colic. Walk with the baby; rock him in your arms or in a swing; go for a car ride; or put him in an infant seat near clothes dryer , where the vibration can be left.
• White noise may sooth your child. Try running a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer where your infant can hear it.
• Wrap the child snugly in a blanket to provide a sense of security and comfort.
• Place the baby, stomach down, on a warm water bottle in your lap. Test the temperature of the bottle against your inner wrist.
• Ask a relative or friend to take over when you feel yourself getting frustrated or exhausted.
PREVENTION
You can’t prevent colic, but if the distress is related to feeding, you may lessen the frequency of episodes by trying the following: Hold your baby up right when feeding: burp often. Feed smaller amounts more frequently. To prevent him from swallowing air, feed your baby slowly. If you are breast feeding, try eliminating from your own diet cow’s milk, caffeinated drinks, and broccoli and other cabbage family vegetables, all of which can promote gas pain in your child. If you are bottle feeding, try a formula free of cow’s milk.
COLIC
SYMPTOMS
Colic is not a disease but a pattern of persistent, prolonged crying. Doctor considers it colic if an otherwise healthy infant up to three months old exhibits the following behavior:
• Loud crying lasting three hours or more for three or more days a week, over a period of more than three weeks.
• Prolonged crying between 6:00 p.m. and midnight in a baby that has been fed.
• While crying, the baby draws his legs to his abdomen and clenches his hands and curls his toes; his face alternately flushes and pales with the effort of crying.
• Episode of crying that sometimes begin or end with a bowel movement or the passing of gas.
WHAT IS COLIC
About 20 percent of all infants suffer from colic spates of crying that go on for hours for no apparent reason. Although distressing for the child and exhausting and emotionally draining for parents, the condition itself is benign and usually ends by the time a child is four months old.
CAUSES
The causes of colic are not known. Experts attribute it to any number of things, including an infant’s immature digestive system, allergies, hormones in breast milk, and overfeeding.
TREATMENT
There is no cure for colic, although many at home remedies have sooth helpful in soothing colicky babies. Any of those listed on page 273 may work for your child. It is important to remain calm; communication of your own anxiety or frustration to a colicky child will probably result in more crying. Above all, never punish a colicky baby. If you feel yourself near the breaking point, ask someone else to stay with your child while you rest or get away to compose yourself.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
If you suspect your child has colic, call your paediatrician. After ruling out possible medical causes of prolonged crying, such as obits media or respiratory problems, most doctors recommend simple home management techniques. Some encourage parents to talk with other parents for support. If you have gone through colic with an older child, you may decide to call the doctor only if you think you’re colicky infant is sick.
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
ACCUPRESSSURE
Manipulating certain acupressure points may sooth a crying child. See the Appendix for help in locating these points. Apply pressure to the webbed area between your child’s thumb and index figure on either hand. Gently massage conception vessel 12, above your child navel, and the corresponding points near the spine. Applying pressure to stomach 36 may also quite your child.
HERBAL THERAPIES
Teas made with herbs containing carminative oils, which reduce inflammation in the bowels and lessen gas production, may help a colicky child. Try teas made of chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, or dill.
HOMEOPATHY
Homeopathic medicine offers several over the counter colic remedies that are considered safe to use without prior consultation with a homeopath. Seek help from a professional if your child does not respond to a remedy within 24 hours.
AT HOME REMEDIES
Maintain consistent pattern of comfort. Consistency will help you avoid getting locked into a behavioural problem with your child later. If one of these methods brings the child relief, stick with it.
• Give your baby a pacifier.
• Motion can relieve colic. Walk with the baby; rock him in your arms or in a swing; go for a car ride; or put him in an infant seat near clothes dryer , where the vibration can be left.
• White noise may sooth your child. Try running a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer where your infant can hear it.
• Wrap the child snugly in a blanket to provide a sense of security and comfort.
• Place the baby, stomach down, on a warm water bottle in your lap. Test the temperature of the bottle against your inner wrist.
• Ask a relative or friend to take over when you feel yourself getting frustrated or exhausted.
PREVENTION
You can’t prevent colic, but if the distress is related to feeding, you may lessen the frequency of episodes by trying the following: Hold your baby up right when feeding: burp often. Feed smaller amounts more frequently. To prevent him from swallowing air, feed your baby slowly. If you are breast feeding, try eliminating from your own diet cow’s milk, caffeinated drinks, and broccoli and other cabbage family vegetables, all of which can promote gas pain in your child. If you are bottle feeding, try a formula free of cow’s milk.
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