What is the cause of colic babies

There are a great deal of studies performed today that suggest that there is any real evidence that in colic incidence between breastfed and formula fed babies, however breastfeeding mothers often seem to exhibit better abilities to deal with their colicky baby.

Because studies think that cow’s milk may be causing colic, your doctor may choose to substitute a soy formula for regular baby formulas, but I should tell you that even soy based formula can cause colic. Approximately 35% of infants who are allergic to cow's milk-based formulas will also be allergic to soy milk-based formulas.

The reason for this is because a more recent discovery is that cow's milk allergens may enter the milk of a breastfeeding mother and irritate the baby's intestines, which result in colic. In this case trying out a dairy-free diet all together may be the best thing to do.

Ear Infections

Ear infections can also trigger colic in some babies. Some of the signs that your baby may have an ear infection are: baby seems to be in pain when they are lying down, but not while they are sitting up; he has cold symptoms such as a runny nose, draining eyes, and small fever; and he is not sleeping well. A thorough examination of your baby's ears should be part of a colic checkup.

Pediatric Regurgitation Syndrome

This condition is also called gastrointestinal reflux or in more severe cases Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD). PRS is actually a recent discovery as a medical cause of colic babies. Normally when food goes down your baby's throat and into his stomach, what happens is that the stomach will contract and push whatever is already in there down into the intestines.

In some babies this does not work properly, so when the stomach contract, some of the food is actually pushed back up into the esophagus and in some cases even out of the mouth. Along with the food that comes up irritating stomach acids, which may irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn.

Signs that reflux may be contributing to colic are: spitting up after eating frequently; colicky episodes that occur shortly after eating; often waking up at night as if in severe pain; and colic that is just not going away. The proper diagnosis of reflux is generally expensive, and often requires x-rays and the insertion of a tube down the baby's esophagus to measure his stomach acids.

Urinary Tract Infections

One of the most serious and most hidden causes of colic is a urinary tract infection. These infections are very subtle in babies; they do not begin as quickly and severely as ear infections do and in fact, they can last for quite a few weeks before they are even detected. Urinary tract infections can cause kidney damage if they are left untreated. For this reason I would suggest that fussy, colicky babies have at least three urinalyses just to be safe.

Skin Rashes

Skin rashes may also be a cause of colic babies. Eczema, rashes caused by allergies, and diaper rashes may be the reason why the baby is colicky. When there are sudden outbursts of screaming it is reasonable to think that it may be caused by a sore bottom. The type of diaper rash that is particularly hard on baby is the raw rash that looks almost like a skin burn is caused by acid stools during diarrhea. You can bathe your baby in baking soda (one tablespoon in a couple of inches of water in baby's bathtub) to help soothe it.

Constipation

This is another possible reason for the colic that is rarely looked at. In the early months of baby’s life their stools; especially those of a breastfed infant, should be loose, soft and very often in occurrence which is about two to three times a day. Once the baby reaches three or four months some babies will normally have only one bowel movement a day. If your baby strains or turns red a lot when they have a bowel movement, and if the stool seems hard, or if it is accompanied by a few drops of blood droplets or if they have a tense, gas-filled (hard) tummy, your baby may be constipated. A visit to your doctor will tell you what to do about it.