Colic..

Lucas was not feeling too well on Sunday ngiht. He kept both Hubby and myself up the entire night with his cries of pains. He kept squirming in his cot; after each feed when we try to burp him, he will curl into a ball, then spread his body out straight again as if he's in pain. He lets out cries of pains, his whole face turns red with all the squirming and crying. It was totally heart-wrenching to watch.

We thought that after changing his milk powder, he would be ok. Cos previously when he was drinking the ifrst milk powder, he also had these same reactions.

So we brough him to the hospital and the doctor diagnosed him as having Colic. Colic is a common problem amongst infants. It is brought abt by the immaturity of the baby's digestive systems, causing the baby to have gas pains Here's a web defination of Colic which totally describes what our poor Lucas is going through:

Definition of Colic
Colic consists of recurrent paroxysms of apparent abdominal pain starting at about the second to the sixth week of life and usually ending by four months. These cycles last from three hours a day to 12 to 15 hours a day in severe cases. The child becomes hypertonic, sometimes alternating body posture from contracting into a little ball (thighs flexed up against the abdomen and arms drawn tightly inward), while beet red in coloration, to suddenly stretching out and stiffening almost spastically.

Description of Colic
Infants cry, it is their means of vocal expression. There is, however, a group of infants who are healthy but show irritability, crying, and signs of discomfort to a greater extent than others. These infants have Colic. This is a common problem arising in the first three months. Babies with colic are prone to lengthy bouts of crying which may or may not stop when the baby is picked up.

Causes and Risk Factors of Colic
Colic occurs in 20 to 30 percent of all infants. The cause remains unknown.

Symptoms of Colic
Abdominal distention is common, as are flatus (gas or air in the intestines) and borborygmus (movement of air and fluid in the intestines). Frequently, greenish mucoid stools are passed. The infant sucks with vigor, gulping formula and air; transient relief is achieved, then suddenly the infant is grasped by another episode of apparent gastrocolic cramping and pain, and begins to cry out again. The infant is commonly fretful and inconsolable, and makes piercing cries that wrench parents into despair.

Some infants have spasmodic attacks that last only a few minutes; others appear to be in pain all day. The most common expression of colic however, is evening fussiness after feeding. Infants with colic may have some gastroesophageal reflux but do not have vomiting, diarrhea, persistent abdominal distention or poor growth. The presence of these symptoms should prompt a search for a diagnosis other than colic.

The best treatment for Colic? Lots of love and warmth from us.