Distinguishing between regular crying and colic is best done by paying attention to the root cause of a baby's fussiness. When a baby is crying normally, it is usually for a specific reason, such as hunger, boredom, or sleepiness. Babies normally stop crying when the root cause is taken care of. A baby with colic tends to cry around the same time every day, and there is generally not a specific reason associated with the tears. Trying to soothe a colicky baby most often does no good, and the crying may continue for three hours or longer before the child stops.
The sounds of regular crying and colic are different, and many people describe colicky crying as a painful cry. Most babies with colic will turn bright red in the face, clench their fists, and draw their legs up to their chest as though they were experiencing extreme abdominal discomfort. The crying normally starts and stops suddenly, with no apparent triggers. Colic spells can begin as early as eight weeks of age and continue until a baby is four months old.
It is important to have a doctor diagnose your child with colic so you can be sure you are not overlooking an underlying medical problem. Keeping a written record of how often your baby cries, when it starts and stops, your attempts at soothing, and the results of those attempts can help the doctor differentiate between regular crying and colic. If the doctor can't make a determination after hearing your description of the crying patterns and doing a physical exam, further testing may be necessary.
When a doctor diagnoses your baby with colic, he or she will probably tell you that there is no cure. You will probably have to wait the colic out until your baby outgrows it. In the meantime, you can try some remedies for colic that may help a little. If you or your partner are breastfeeding, pay special attention to what you eat and avoid caffeine, dairy, and nuts for a while in case your baby is allergic or overly sensitive to these things. Using pacifiers, singing lullabies, and holding your baby in an upright position during crying spells may also be soothing to the baby.
Regular crying and colic can be emotionally stressful for many parents, but colic is particularly hard to deal with. It is normally very frustrating for parents when they are unable to soothe their crying child. Several months of colicky crying could take an emotional toll on every member of the family, and for this reason it is usually recommended that families take a break from it when they can. Letting a friend or family member babysit occasionally is often recommended so that everyone in the family can take time out to relax.
