Baby Colic Causes

At this time, little information is available about the causes of baby colic. However, most healthcare providers believe that the condition is probably a combination of gastrointestinal, biological, physiological, and social factors. If you have a baby with colic, the best thing you can do is make your baby as comfortable as possible and try to maintain your sanity while doing so.

What Causes Baby Colic?

Little is known conclusively about the cause or causes of colic in babies. Some experts speculate that it is linked to a baby's digestive system. Others believe colic is caused by physiological or social factors, like the baby's temperament. Others speculate that the condition is related to biological factors, such as an imbalance of certain chemicals.
 
However, no one knows for sure. In fact, most healthcare providers at this point believe that colic is probably a combination of gastrointestinal, biological, physiological, and/or social factors.
 

Understanding Colic and the Digestive System

Those who contend colic is caused by the baby's digestive system believe it could be linked to either the baby's still-developing digestive system itself or certain food allergies.
 
Part of the reason that people think the digestive system plays a role in colic is that studies have shown that for some infants, the condition decreased or went away completely when the baby's formula was changed to one without cow's milk. Similar studies have shown that changing the type of fruit juice (from apple to white grape juice) could decrease colic symptoms for some infants.
 
Other studies have found that the colic went away when breastfeeding mothers avoided certain gas-creating foods, such as:
 
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Onions
  • Tomatoes and tomato-based products (such as spaghetti sauce).
     

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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
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