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Causes Of
Infant Colic
By Vickie Barnes
Doctors and parents alike are confused as to what actually causes colic
and why up to 25% of suffer
from it. Of course,
there are some doctors that don't believe in colic while others believe
it is a very real condition that should be acknowledged by parents and
the medical community alike. Regardless, if you have a baby suffering
from colic you are certainly very aware that colic is a real condition
and one that deserves your attention.
In general, colic is more a result of a variety of symptoms rather than
one condition on its own. Generally, suffering
from colic cry, moan,
groan, grunt, have hiccups, reflux, spasms, and red faces with balled
up fists. Generally, these symptoms are a result of gas that gets
trapped in the baby's digestive system, usually the intestinal tract.
There is no real evidence as to why, however delivered
via cesarean section
experience colic more frequently than delivered
normally. Some
doctors believe this is the case because delivered
vaginally get
straightened out and decompressed as they are delivered, something
cesarean don't
experience. Nobody knows
if this is a true cause of colic or not, but it is a theory.
Up to 25% of all experience
colic so there is
something in common among these even
if it has not been
pinpointed yet. Doctors do believe colic is related to the digestive
process and worsens as evening approaches. There are also other
theories as to why colic develops and the causes.
Stages of Development
One particular theory is that colic occurs because grow
so quickly
and as a result digestion does not take place properly, causing pain
when food is moving through the intestines and during the entire
digestive process. This theory is supported because generally
outgrow colic within
a few months, however the theory has yet to be proven.
Temperament
All have
their own personalities
and there are some happy while
others are not so happy.
It seems that more often than not the not so happy are
the ones to suffer from
colic rather than the happy ones. This is a theory that has not been
proven, but real life parents notice the crabbier the baby the more
likely they will have colic.
Stress
Stress is a known cause of digestive problems so it seems rational that
with high levels of stress are
more likely to develop colic. It has been proven that firstborn
children are more likely to have colic than other because
the new mom is stressed
and passes the stress and fear to her child, resulting in colic. Many
studies show that confident mothers seem to have fewer with
colic than more stressed
out moms.
Allergies
Another theory is that food allergies or lactose intolerance causes
colic. However, it is strange that about the same number of that
are breast fed develop
colic as their formula fed counterparts. Also, some with
colic seem to respond well
when an iron supplement is added to their food. These are all signs
something is going on with the baby's diet, but each baby is different
and finding the dietary issues your baby is having can take some time
and a lot of trial and error.
It is still a mystery why some develop
colic and others don't
and there may be a variety of causes that result in colic in your baby.
However, there are some things that will help your baby feel better
even though it takes time to find the solution. So, be patient and do
everything you can to soothe and comfort your colicky baby. Article Source:
http://www.articleblender.com
Vickie
Barnes is a colic veteran of two colicky babies. Please visit her
website ColicHelp.com,
for more support and resources for dealing with colic.
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