NATURAL COLIC TREATMENT THROUGH NUTRITION AND CARING
Infant colic and reflux are
distressing for both parents and baby but they can be relieved without
drugs. Colic is a symptom of reflux or other eating problems. When is
crying considered colic?
Consolable; When
crying is easily consolable with carrying and affection, then that
is just what babies need.
Inconsolable; When crying is frequently inconsolable, beyond
athletic bouncing sessions and extreme distraction techniques, one
needs to look for something that is regularly causing pain. We are
often given a “diagnosis” of colic, or more commonly today, reflux or GERD for the frequently
long-crying baby, (Natural Colic Care: Professional
Help for Colic, GERD and
Breastfeeding, Nutrition & Natural Parenting Challenges)
What is colic? It's a baby who cries a lot. At least that’s what we’re told, along with assurances that baby will “grow out” of it one day. The attuned parent, often sensing that their inconsolable baby is in pain, desires to do something more than just wait. Often the baby with colic is prescribed sedative drugs with potentially dangerous side effects. While posing risks to the infant, these generally do not address the source of the problem.
Since the development of new expensive drugs for gastric acid reflux, most crying babies are diagnosed with GERD
or gastroesophageal reflux disease and prescribed the new proton pump
inhibitor drugs such as Prilosec and Prevacid. Parents usually find
that these provide little help, if any. Current studies reveal that
there is great randomness to the symptoms used to diagnose GERD, that
while the drugs will reduce acid in the stomach and esophagus they do
not reduce baby’s colic symptoms or other symptoms, and that GERD drugs
increase intestinal infections and pneumonia. While the GERD diagnosis
and prescription of these drugs is lucrative, it sadly steers parents
away from finding real solutions for their baby.
Common Causes In the nursing baby, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, garlic, or spicy foods in mother’s diet often cause uncomfortable gas or irritation. Sometimes caffeine or chocolate are problematic as well.
Number One Cause While not frequently proposed, research proves that the number one cause of colic is intolerance to cow’s milk proteins in the diet of the breastfeeding mother or in formula. Corn, wheat, and soy are some other common offenders.
Other Symptoms Often other symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, spitting-up, rashes, sleeplessness, or waking with screams go along with this picture. Sometimes chronic stuffiness and ear infections also stem from food sensitivities; again, dairy being the major offender, Palmer, 2001.
Finding Out Blood and scratch tests are simply not reliable, and are often negative. Once other, rare medical conditions have been professionally ruled out for the chronically crying baby, dietary trials in search of offending foods will likely provide the solution that is needed.
REMEDY
Nursing Mother; Strict elimination of dairy and other offenders in the nursing mother’s diet will produce better results than elemental formulas, while helping the intestines to heal and maintaining immune protection and other benefits.
Caring for Colic; Lots of jiggling often helps to move painful
bubbles through baby’s system. Tummy rubs may be responded to
positively as well. The general rule for reacting to a crying baby
who cannot be comforted is to simply hold them and validate their
feelings. Yet when a child frequently suffers from painful bouts of
colic, it may be more kind to help distract them from their pain,
if and when possible.
