Colic Treatment

There is no simple answer for how to best treat colic. Because no one single method works for all babies, treatment is a trial-and-error process. However, there are several tips for managing colic that might help. Some of these suggestions include calming strategies (such as bringing your baby into a quiet room to be held and limiting outside noises), dietary changes, and coping strategies.

Treating Colic: An Overview

The most difficult thing about caring for a baby with colic is feeling that nothing you do helps. That helpless feeling is difficult to fight off when all of your attempts to soothe your baby have been unsuccessful.
 
So how can you survive a baby with colic and have both of you come out on the other side okay? There is no simple answer as to how to best treat colic. No one single method works for all babies. In fact, healthcare providers will often recommend that a family try one or several different strategies in order to deal with a colicky baby. This includes calming, dietary, and coping strategies.
 
The goals with these recommendations are to:
 
  • Decrease the infant's crying
  • Help the family cope
  • Minimize any long-term child-parent impact.
     
Take heart in knowing that colic will not last forever. In approximately 60 percent of infants, colic symptoms improve by three months of age; in 90 percent, symptoms improve by four months of age. Also, take comfort in the fact that infants who are diagnosed with colic do not have a medical reason for the crying. With time and patience, it will pass.
 

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