Colic in newborns: symptoms, what to do

In pediatricians, parents in the first months of their child’s life often come up with one problem. Moms and dads complain about the occurrence of bouts of anxiety and crying in the baby for no apparent reason. As a rule, this condition is a manifestation of intestinal colic. They do not cause serious violations in the state of health of the child. In this case, the symptoms of colic in a newborn require certain measures on the part of the parents.

What are colic and what is the reason for their appearance

Intestinal colic in medicine is called cramping pain that occurs in a child at the beginning of life and is accompanied by severe anxiety crumbs. For the first time, a similar condition can occur in a baby at the age of 2 weeks and last up to 3 months.

What is the cause of pain? Such an unpleasant symptom occurs due to the fact that the gastrointestinal tract of children after birth is not yet sufficiently developed. Certain anatomical and physiological features are inherent in it:

• in the oral cavity, the salivary glands are not sufficiently developed;
• the neonatal esophagus is characterized by mild physiological constrictions;
• if we talk about the stomach in children in the first months of life, then his secretory apparatus is not sufficiently developed, slow motility, sluggish peristalsis are observed;
• the intestines in the first hours of life are free of bacteria.

At an early age, intestinal colic in most children is due to the maturation of the gastrointestinal tract. At the same time, it is important for parents to know that there are a number of factors that increase the manifestations of gastrointestinal dysfunction.

Causes caused by anatomical and physiological features

The main cause of colic in a newborn is a violation of intestinal motor activity. This is due to the immaturity of the central and peripheral regulation of the innervation of the named internal organ. The peristaltic wave, which should cover the entire intestinal tube, in infants affects only some areas. Because of this, a sharp spasm occurs in certain sections of the small intestine, which provokes the appearance of pain.

Another cause of intestinal colic due to incomplete maturation of the gastrointestinal tract is the immaturity of the enzyme system and the formation of microbiocenosis. In a small child, carbohydrates and fats are not completely broken down. Because of this, increased gas formation is observed, because of which the small intestine swells and pains begin. Regarding microbiocenosis, it is worth noting that beneficial microorganisms gradually colonize the intestines. Their quantitative increase provokes increased gas formation.

Other factors causing intestinal colic

Other causes of pain in the abdomen of young children include:

• non-observance by a nursing mother of a certain diet, because the properties of milk depend on the woman’s nutrition (it is recommended that mothers exclude certain foods from their diet or consume a minimum amount);
• aerophagy - swallowing air (this is possible with improper attachment of crumbs to the chest, improper position of the bottle with artificial feeding);
• violation of the rules for preparing the mixture for the child (excessive or insufficient dilution of the product);
• unsustainable feeding (overfeeding, forced feeding).

Several years ago, dysbiosis was attributed to the causes of symptoms of intestinal colic in newborns. Doctors are currently refusing this diagnosis. In children in the first months of life, the microflora is constantly changing. This is not a deviation, therefore the diagnosis of "dysbiosis" is erroneous. There is one caveat. In children, the intestinal microflora can be disturbed if their mothers who breastfeed take antibiotics. Medicines enter the milk, and then the baby’s digestive system.

General clinical picture

Back in 1954, the famous American pediatrician Morris Arthur Wessel (MA Wessel) defined intestinal colic. It is used by specialists at the present time, because it serves as the main diagnostic criterion. It will help parents understand how to recognize the symptoms of colic in a newborn. This definition is also called the "rule of triples." It states that intestinal colic is a paroxysm of crying, irritability, or motor anxiety that lasts:

• more than 3 hours a day;
• more than 3 days a week;
• for 3 weeks or more.

If a child’s episodes of crying and anxiety correspond to the named “rule of triples,” then parents can be sure that their baby is suffering from intestinal colic, and not some kind of pathology. The absence of diseases is also indicated by the fact that suspicious symptoms are not observed between breaks. The child feels and behaves absolutely normal. He actively sucks maternal breasts or a bottle, gains weight well.

How do seizures occur?

The most typical time for the onset of pain in a child is evening hours (somewhere from 17 to 19 hours). At first, intestinal colic is observed quite rarely - 1-2 times a week. The duration of seizures is from 1-2 to 15-20 minutes. In the future, intestinal colic begins to increasingly torment the child. They become longer.

Sudden onset is what is characteristic of symptoms of intestinal colic in newborns. What signs are observed? At first, babies can frown, wriggle, grunt, twist their mouths. Then they start screaming loudly and piercingly. The skin of the face turns red. Toddlers press their legs to their stomachs (in common people they say that children “knock with their legs”). Feces and gases in this condition do not depart.

On examination, you can notice several more symptoms of colic in newborns - bloating and muscle tension of the anterior abdominal wall, which does not reach the degree of “acute abdomen”. The condition improves, as a rule, after defecation or gas discharge. After a while, the colic repeats.

Severity of intestinal colic

Depending on when the attacks of pain appear, specialists distinguish 3 forms of infant colic. The first one is typical. This form is characterized by the appearance of intestinal colic at the age of 6 weeks. Up to 2 months, the condition progresses - seizures are becoming more frequent and prolonged. Then the manifestations of intestinal colic become less and less bright. By 3-4 months, the pain ceases to bother the baby.

The second form is called stubborn. It is characterized by a continuation of intestinal colic after 3-4 months. A similar form is observed in cases where the children have some kind of concomitant pathology, combined variants of functional disorders. It is important not to confuse the stubborn form with the late. The latter is characterized by the late onset of intestinal colic. With this form, pain begins to torment the child after 3 months of life.

The difference between colic and pathologies, diseases

Screaming and crying are symptoms that can occur not only with intestinal colic. There are serious pathologies, diseases with a similar clinical picture. Certain features confirm that there are no signs of an ailment, but symptoms of colic in newborns. The following diagnostic criteria are available:

• age from 1 to 6 months;
• sudden onset;
• psychomotor agitation ;
• the repeated nature of the symptoms, the alternation of pain periods with periods of absolute well-being;
• bloating caused by an accumulation of gas in the intestines;
• the onset of relief after defecation or gas discharge.

The presence of intestinal colic in a child can be doubted if there are violations of weight gain, there are attacks of shortness of breath and cyanosis, fever, convulsions, lethargy and refusal to eat, vomiting (not regurgitation), impaired stool, various suspicious skin symptoms ( swelling, rashes). Also, colic is not characteristic: pain on palpation, muscle tension of the abdominal wall and difficulty with deep palpation. The listed symptoms may be inherent in an acute surgical condition, in which urgent specialist assistance is needed.

Psychological atmosphere

An important component of successful treatment of intestinal colic is a favorable psycho-emotional environment in the family. A small child does not understand the speech of parents, but reacts to their emotions. Inexperienced parents are very frightened by infant colic. Sometimes it even comes to tantrums. First of all, do not panic. To begin with, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician. In the absence of serious concerns, the specialist will talk about proper nutrition and prescribe medications that will ease the condition of the child.

It is important for parents to know that colic is physiological rather than pathological. Their appearance serves as a signal that the baby’s gastrointestinal tract is adapting to extrauterine life. Mom should spend more time with the baby, but abuse is also not necessary. Each person needs rest, adequate sleep. If a woman fails to cope with anxiety, then a doctor can help. He will recommend the safest sedative for the child, because it is no secret that all the tablets used by the mother affect the composition of milk.

Maternal nutrition correction

An important role in colic therapy is played by the correction of the mother’s diet. A woman should eat varied, given the fact that foods are best eaten simple - without preservatives, excipients, dyes. It is also important to consider that all products for nursing mothers are divided into 3 groups - “allowed”, “in limited quantities” and “prohibited”.

Nutrition for a Baby Feeding

If the baby is on artificial or mixed feeding, it is very important to choose the right adapted mixture. The choice of a substitute for breast milk is a responsible and difficult process, therefore, what to do with the symptoms of colic in a newborn should consult a pediatrician. In general, with artificial feeding, experts recommend mixtures containing short-chain triglycerides. With severe pain, infant formulas with a partially hydrolyzed protein or with a reduced amount of lactose can help. For some children, the appointment of hypoallergenic mixtures is effective.

When using dry infant formulas, the rules for their preparation must be observed. This is very important to understand. Symptoms of colic in a newborn are known to often arise due to improper dosing. Parents are advised to clearly measure the volume of water and the amount of powder.

Physical methods of relieving a pain attack

Although colic is not a pathological condition, the child still needs to help survive the pain period. One of the methods for relieving pain is physical. It is customary to lay the child on the stomach with legs bent at the knee joints. A warm diaper or heating pad is placed under it. Rocking and shaking the baby is impossible.

Helps to cope with pain and massage the abdomen. It is performed about 5 times a day before feeding for 5-6 minutes. Massage is done in soft circular movements clockwise, as well as from top to bottom (from the ribs to the pubis). During exercise, the touch should be slightly stronger than normal strokes. At the same time, intensive movements in the right hypochondrium are forbidden, because in this area in the newborn the edge of the liver protrudes from under the costal arch.

Drug therapy

There are various drugs that are used for the symptoms of colic in a newborn. How do you know which medicine is best for you? You do not need to choose any means on your own. Any medicine can be given to a child only if it is prescribed by a pediatrician.

So, with intestinal colic, the doctor can prescribe:

1. Means with carminative action. The phyto-collection based on fennel, lemon balm, and pharmacy chamomile has a positive effect.
2. Preparations based on simethicone. One of the medicines containing this component is Bobotik. Simethicone weakens the tension of gas bubbles and leads to their rupture, prevents the appearance of new bubbles.
3. Pancreatic enzyme preparations. They carry out treatment for colic symptoms in a newborn only if the exocrine function of the pancreas or bile secretion is impaired.

Other methods

A vent tube is sometimes used to remove gases from the intestines. It is introduced by soft twisting movements into the rectum to a depth of 3 to 4 cm. When properly set, after a few minutes, the child begins to escape gases thanks to the tube. However, parents should not experiment with this method. The installation of the vent pipe should be performed by a specialist who knows how to perform this procedure. Parents, in the absence of experience, can damage the intestines of the child.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the causes, symptoms, treatment of colic in a newborn is a very important topic for all parents, because almost every family is faced with this problem. It is important for mothers and fathers that screaming and crying because of stomach pain at this age is a normal occurrence. When it occurs, you do not need to worry and worry. Fighting pain attacks requires patience and calm, as well as contacting a pediatrician for more accurate answers to the question of what to do with colic in a newborn.