Does Your Baby Have Colic?
Is your baby fussy – or does she have colic? Here are answers to the most-asked questions
about colic.

What is colic?
Colic is unexplained crying that occurs for more than three hours a day for more than three days per week and for more than three weeks in an otherwise healthy and well-fed baby. It occurs in about 10 percent of babies. Colic usually begins during the baby’s first month and goes away by the three- to four-month birthday.

What are the signs of colic?
In addition to crying for more than three hours a day, a colicky baby:

• Requires more attention and is more sensitive to the things around him than similarly aged babies.
• Is not easily calmed.
• Is usually most fussy at the end of the day. (Though colic can happen any time.)
• May turn red from excessive crying.
• Often has high-pitched screams.
• Often draws her arms and legs to her body and/or has clenched fists while crying.

What causes colic?
That’s the million-dollar question. The answer: No one knows for sure. Some doctors believe colic is caused by stomach pain. Others think the excessive fussiness is nothing more than the baby’s natural temperament. Here’s what doctors do know:

• Babies with colic are healthy.
• Colic is not caused by inexperienced or bad parents.
• Colic is not caused by how babies are held or treated.

How long does colic last?
Babies as young as two weeks old can have colic. It usually goes away by the time babies are three to four months old – though it may last as long as six months in some babies.

Does colic have any long-term ramifications?
No. Crying does not hurt your baby. Babies who have colic grow up to be normal, happy children. In fact, one study showed that at a one-year follow-up, the temperament of babies who had colic were no different from babies who didn’t have colic.

More good news: Colic doesn’t appear to have any long-term effect on parents, either. It may be hard
to imagine now, but someday you won’t care that your baby spent her first three months screaming in your ear!

I think my baby has colic. Now what?
See your pediatrician or family doctor for an official diagnosis. He or she can also examine your baby to determine if there is a medical cause for your baby’s crying, such as acid reflux disease. Then try the tips in this book to help calm your baby during his fussy spells.