{"id":113216,"date":"2023-09-17T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-17T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=113216"},"modified":"2023-09-20T12:09:37","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T16:09:37","slug":"causes-of-colic-in-infants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/causes-of-colic-in-infants\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2 Most Common Medical Causes of Colic in Infants"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are the medical causes of colic in infants? Does colic indicate a worse problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harvey Karp argues a majority of colic causes are due to over- or understimulation. However, his book The Happiest Baby on the Block<\/em> acknowledges there are some instances where underlying medical issues are responsible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s look at the medical and health-related causes of colic and how to address them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Underlying Medical Conditions Cause Colic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Karp explains that while many people and even some doctors assume all colic has a medical cause, only 5-10% of colic cases have an underlying medical cause. In these cases, your baby\u2019s cries are signs of discomfort due to physical symptoms. Karp notes the most common physical causes of colic in infants: allergies and constipation. Let\u2019s explore how to manage each in more detail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allergies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Allergies are responsible for 90% of medically-caused<\/em> colic. Babies can be exposed to common allergens\u2014such as cow\u2019s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and fish\u2014through breast milk depending on the breastfeeding parent\u2019s diet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Karp explains that babies with allergies tend to cry throughout the day and night. They may also have diarrhea, indicated by mucus in their stools. If you suspect your breastfed baby has an allergy, start keeping track of how long and how often they cry. Then, have the breastfeeding parent cut the foods listed above out of their diet for a week. If your baby\u2019s crying stays the same, they likely don\u2019t have an allergy. If your baby starts crying less, reintroduce small amounts of these foods to the parent\u2019s diet one at a time to see if one makes your baby cry more\u2014if one does, it\u2019s likely their allergen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: If you\u2019re hoping to avoid your child developing allergies altogether, breastfeeding may be the best preventive measure\u2014research suggests breastfed babies tend to suffer fewer food allergies than their formula-fed counterparts<\/a>. While scientists aren\u2019t exactly sure why, some believe it has to do with certain molecules and microorganisms unique to breastmilk that provide genetic instructions to help protect babies from developing food allergies.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constipation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Karp explains that some cases of colic can be due to pain or discomfort from constipation. If your baby is bottle-fed, you can try improving their bowel movements by changing their formula mix or adding a tablespoon of water or prune juice to their formula once per day. Otherwise, you can try helping your baby coordinate their rectum by bicycling their legs, massaging their bottom, or inserting a greased thermometer about a half inch to an inch into their anus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of Constipation<\/strong>

Recognizing when your baby is constipated can be difficult, as babies naturally have fewer bowel movements than adults. But there are several signs pediatricians point to as indicators of constipation<\/a>:

Your baby passes harder, drier, or more pellet-like stools.
Your baby seems to struggle with passing stools, arching their back or crying while doing so.
Your baby\u2019s general rhythm of bowel movements changes.
If you notice your baby showing any of the above symptoms, consider trying some of the above methods and seeing if they help.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When to See the Doctor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the more common medical causes of colic, Karp also notes several signs that indicate you should take your baby to the doctor. Note that while these signs may<\/em> indicate more serious issues, said issues are responsible for less than one percent of medically-caused colic. Karp recommends seeing a doctor if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n