100
1- A mother of a 6-week-old infant tells you that her child has been crying for approximately 4 to 5 hours nearly every day of the week. This has been occurring for at least 4 weeks, and the crying has impacted on the mother’s sleep patterns. The mother tells you that she hears the crying mostly in the late evening hours, and it does not appear to correlate with her formula feedings. The crying dissipates when the child is gently rocked but reoccurs once the rocking motion ceases.
You believe that the child may have colic. Given this suspicion, what would you first recommend for the treatment of colic?
effective swaddling
Colic is defined as an otherwise healthy infant who cries for more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 days per week, and for more than 3 weeks in duration. most often in the late afternoon and evening.
Colic begins during 2nd week of life, peaks at 6 weeks, and resolves between 12 and 16 weeks. It is equally common in both breast- and bottle-fed infants.
A diagnosis of colic is made by history and is a diagnosis of exclusion. An organic cause can be found in fewer than 5% and may include constipation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, infections, feeding disorders, and, less commonly, acute abdominal pain, occult fracture, and maternal drug effects.
First-line therapy includes parental reassurance and behavioral interventions. These interventions can take many forms, including effective swaddling, gentle rocking, and decreased stimulation of the infant. White noise, vibration, and motion can soothe some infants.
Simethicone, considered by many as a mainstay of colic treatment, is a safe but relatively ineffective remedy.