There are all kinds of definitions and descriptions in books and on the internet about what colic is and how it affects babies.
In essence, colic is the term given to a windy baby that cries a lot due to tummy pain, greatly affecting the baby’s sleep and general wellbeing. Colic naturally passes when the baby is 12 weeks, but as more is understood about this condition nowadays, intervention and help can be given way before then resulting in a happy baby and happy parents sooner rather than later.
With years of experience treating this condition, Christian by his own definition has learnt that babies don’t technically have colic for no reason, but are suffering with it due to an underlying factor.
Christian discusses the underlying factors of colic in his book and the measures taken that can help the baby and therefore the parents too.
Here are some other definition of colic which are available on the internet. Christian doesn’t fully subscribe to these definitions, but they might be useful to read anyway:
The Classic Wessel’s Definition:
A condition of a healthy baby in which it shows periods of intense, unexplained fussing/crying lasting more than three hours a day, more than three days a week for more than three weeks.
NHS Definition:
Colic is a very common condition that affects around one in five babies. Babies of both sexes are equally affected by colic. The symptoms of colic usually begin within the first few weeks of life, and usually resolve by the time the baby is four months of age and by six months at the latest. The most common and distinctive symptom of colic is excessive crying in a baby that is otherwise healthy and well-fed. The crying that is associated with colic is usually very intense. Your baby’s face will be red and flushed, their crying will be severe and furious, and there will be little or nothing that you can do to comfort them. You may also notice a distinctive change in your baby’s posture. Your baby may clench their fists, draw up their knees, or arch their back. Crying most often occurs in the late afternoon or evening, and is usually persistent, lasting for at least three hours a day, for at least three days a week, and for at least three weeks’ duration. While colic is not usually a sign of anything serious, it is important that your GP is aware of your child’s symptoms in case they are the result of less common conditions.
Like most definitions of colic, none address what causes colic, but just what happens to a baby when it has it.
