Colic is frequent and extended periods of crying for no discernible reason in an otherwise healthy infant.
Although the term colic suggests an intestinal origin, etiology is unknown.
Colic typically appears within the first month of life, peaks at about age 6 weeks, and reliably and spontaneously ends by age 3 to 4 months. Paroxysms of crying and fussiness often occur at about the same time of day or night and continue for hours for no apparent reason. A few infants cry almost incessantly. Excessive crying may cause aerophagia, which results in flatulence and abdominal distention. Typically, colicky infants eat and gain weight well, although vigorous nonnutritive sucking may suggest excessive hunger.
(See also Crying in Children.)
Evaluation of Colic
The goal is to distinguish colic from other causes of excessive crying, particularly serious and/or treatable medical disorders such as
Increased intracranial pressure
Hair tourniquet
History
History of present illness should establish the onset and duration of crying and response to attempts to console and thus determine whether the infant’s crying is outside the normal range (up to 3 hours/day in a 6-week-old infant). Additionally, thorough questioning may reveal that crying is not the chief concern but a symptom that the parents have used to justify their visiting the clinician to present another problem—eg, concern over the death of a previous child or over their feelings of inability to cope with a new infant.
Review of systems should seek symptoms of causative disorders, including temperature instability, constipation, diarrhea, and vomiting (gastrointestinal disorders) and cough, wheezing, and nasal congestion (respiratory infection).
Past medical history involves review of the patient's birth history, any medical problems, history of injuries, medications, development, and immunization status.
Physical examination
Physical examination begins with review of vital signs and growth parameters and then a thorough examination for signs of trauma or medical illness. Infants with colic do not have any new examination findings except for the possibility of excessive crying, which may not be present during the examination.
Red flags
The following findings are of particular concern:
Vomiting (especially if vomit is projectile or is green or bloody)
Constipation or diarrhea, especially with blood or mucus
Fever or hypothermia
Respiratory distress
Lethargy
Poor weight gain
Bruising
Interpretation of findings
Often, infants with colic present after days or weeks of repetitive, daily crying; an otherwise normal history and examination at this point is more reassuring than in infants with acute (1 to 2 days) crying.
Testing
No testing is necessary unless specific abnormalities are detected by history and examination.
Treatment of Colic
Parents should be reassured that the infant is healthy, that the crying is not due to poor parenting, and that colic will resolve on its own with no long-term adverse effects. Clinicians should show compassion, given how stressful a colicky infant can be for parents.
The following measures may help:
For infants who cry for short periods: Being held, rocked, or patted gently
For infants who have a strong sucking urge and who fuss soon after a feeding: Opportunity to suck more (eg, a pacifier)
If bottle feeding takes < 15 to 20 minutes: Nipples with smaller holes, a pacifier, or both
For very active, restless infants: Paradoxically, being swaddled (eg, in a sleep sack)
An infant swing, music, and white noise (eg, from a vacuum cleaner, car engine, or clothes or hair dryer) may also be calming. Because fatigue often contributes to excessive crying, parents should also be instructed to routinely lay the infant in the crib while the infant is awake to encourage self-soothing and good sleep habits.
If the clinician suspects an infant has a cow's milk protein intolerance, a hypoallergenic formula may be tried; however, frequent formula switching should be avoided. Sometimes in breastfed (chestfed) infants, removing cow's milk or another food (particularly stimulant foods or substances [eg, coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, diet supplements]) from the mother’s diet brings relief, as may stopping medications that contain stimulants (eg, decongestants).
Key Points
Colic is excessive crying for no discernible reason in an otherwise healthy infant.
Colic typically ends by age 3 to 4 months.
Rule out medical causes of crying by history and physical examination; testing is unnecessary unless there are specific findings.
Physical measures (eg, rocking, swinging, swaddling) can be tried, as may dietary changes; response to these measures varies, and usually colic resolves only with time.
