What does colic look like?
Colic peaks in infants four to six weeks old. Early evening tends to be the prime time. The baby may suddenly clench his fists, curl up his legs and let out a piercing wail as if in pain. Feeding or rocking the red-faced child does not quiet him. The episode may last five minutes or much longer. The baby may swallow a lot of air while crying. This may cause burping or produce gas. There’s some good news, though. In nearly all cases, colic starts to decline after an infant is three months old. Why does colic happen? No one knows why some babies get colic. It happens in boys and girls, breast-fed and bottle-fed. The way parents care for the baby is not related either, studies confirm. The term “colic” comes from the Greek word for colon. Gastrointestinal problems such as acid reflux were once believed to be the cause. But doctors have found that only one in 10 cases of prolonged crying in early infanthood are due to food intolerance or a medical issue. Many experts have concluded that co
