What are the symptoms of infantile colic?

Written by Tong Peng
Pediatrics
Updated on October 26, 2024
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Infantile colic is more common and mostly occurs in infants under three months of age. It is characterized by paroxysmal crying, with the infant crying loudly for several hours. During an attack, the face often turns flush, the area around the mouth is pale, and the abdomen is bloated and tense. This is usually accompanied by tightly clenched hands, and symptoms may slightly relieve after passing gas or having a bowel movement. There are many causes of colic, often related to the infant's own constitution, especially food allergies which can exacerbate symptoms. Additionally, respiratory infections, abdominal chilling, overeating, or accumulation of intestinal gas can also trigger symptoms of colic.

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Written by Wu Ben Rong
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Is the baby's rumbling stomach intestinal colic?

A child's stomach making gurgling noises doesn't necessarily mean they have intestinal colic; it could be due to indigestion. The main symptom of intestinal colic is severe abdominal pain, which usually isn't accompanied by gurgling sounds. If a child does have intestinal colic, they may exhibit symptoms such as incessant crying and abdominal spasms, whereas gurgling sounds are typically caused by the incomplete development of the digestive tract in children, leading to gas formation as food moves through the intestines. If the child does not display symptoms like abdominal distension, diarrhea, or abdominal pain, treatment may not be necessary. However, if such symptoms are present, it could be due to conditions like enteritis or dysentery, and it is advisable for parents to take their child to a reputable hospital for an examination.

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Can you breastfeed during intestinal colic?

If an infant experiences colic, during an episode, the child will exhibit localized pain causing crying and irritability, generally making it difficult to feed. Firstly, it is necessary to alleviate the symptoms of colic. This can be done by choosing to massage the abdomen clockwise to promote intestinal gas expulsion. Additionally, it is appropriate to orally administer probiotics or simethicone to aid intestinal motility. Applying heat to the infant’s abdomen and ensuring it is kept warm are also beneficial. As colic episodes usually involve severe crying, using the "airplane hold" can help alleviate localized symptoms. Once the child's symptoms subside, feeding can then be resumed, ensuring the quality of feeding is not compromised by pain, which could otherwise lead to insufficient feeding and consequently cause the next hunger episode to occur sooner.

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Is pediatric tuina massage effective for intestinal colic?

When infants experience intestinal colic, it is generally due to excessive gas accumulation in the intestinal cavity, where the gas cannot be normally expelled from the body, leading to abdominal pain. Appropriate use of pediatric massage techniques can be employed to treat this condition, which can effectively alleviate the symptoms. Especially, clockwise massaging the abdomen of the affected child has a very clear clinical effect in promoting intestinal peristalsis and gas expulsion. In addition, assisting children with some lower limb exercises can also promote gastrointestinal motility and gas expulsion. If there is abnormal stool, combining oral probiotics to regulate and maintain the intestinal flora can be beneficial. If necessary, medications that promote gastrointestinal motility can also be taken orally to help with gas expulsion.

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Will a baby's stomach make noises if they have colic?

When a child experiences intestinal colic, they often experience severe abdominal pain, and may exhibit behaviors like crying or discomfort. They might also kick around, but usually, there will not be noises of rumbling in the stomach. The rumbling sounds in a child's stomach are usually due to reasons like indigestion which cause the sounds of gastrointestinal motility. When a child eats too quickly and a large amount of air enters the stomach, it can lead to this phenomenon. If the child has started on solid foods, consuming foods that produce a lot of gas can also cause these symptoms. If the child does not show other symptoms such as diarrhea, special treatment is generally not necessary.

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Do infantile colic attacks occur daily?

Intestinal colic is a common phenomenon, but generally does not occur every day. Babies with intestinal colic may exhibit symptoms such as paroxysmal crying, decreased appetite, and restless sleep at night. Intestinal colic typically occurs around 6 months of age, when the baby's gastrointestinal function is not yet fully developed. At this age, the baby begins to eat solid foods, and some of these foods are hard to digest, leading to gassiness. When a baby experiences intestinal gas, it can lead to intestinal colic. You can perform gas-relief exercises for the baby or massage the abdomen clockwise, which helps expel the gas from the intestines. Additionally, you can administer probiotics orally to adjust the gut flora. If the intestinal gassiness is significant, some medications can be taken orally to absorb the excess gas in the intestines and relieve the colic. Another method to try is holding the baby in an "airplane" position to alleviate discomfort.