Babies with colic: Causes and prevention

Babies have abdominal pain that leads to prolonged fussiness, making many parents worried. There are many causes of this problem. Find out with aFamilyToday Health through the following article!

Most parents deal with colic in their babies. However, why do babies suffer from colic even though their parents take great care?

Cause the baby has colic

There are many reasons that can cause a baby to have colic such as:

1. Stomach or intestinal infection

Rotavirus ¹ :  This  is a common intestinal virus that often causes diarrhea in young children, leading to severe dehydration and fatigue. In addition, rotavirus infection is one of the leading causes of death among babies worldwide even though vaccination can be prevented.

Salmonella ² : This bacteria gets into the stomach and intestines and causes abdominal pain. Salmonella is found in contaminated food or water. Good hygiene for your baby can prevent infection.

Streptococcus: Streptococcus bacteria usually enter the throat, but 10% of infected people do not affect the stomach. However, if you have a sore throat, avoid hugging your baby and wearing a mask to avoid infecting your baby.

Adenovirus ³ : This virus causes inflammation of the intestinal wall, causing stomach pain. Children can become infected with the virus when they come into contact with contaminated food or when they put an object contaminated with the virus in their mouth. Also, you can catch it when your baby sneezes. You should regularly wash children's hands and toys to ensure the safety of children.

Infant botulism: Food poisoning is an intestinal infection caused by the Clostridium botulinum virus. Abdominal pain is one of the symptoms of this condition.

Parasitic infection: This can happen in weaning babies. Parasitic infections are mainly the entry of single-celled or multicellular parasites into the digestive tract. Giardia lamblia is a parasitic organism that can affect infants through untreated water and contaminated food.

2. Colic disease

Repeated constriction cramps can damage the digestive tract, leading to abdominal pain. This is an unpleasant but normal symptom in children. Experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that when your baby is fussy due to colic, you can take your baby for a walk in a stroller or wrap a blanket to calm him down.

3. Food intolerance or food allergy

Food allergies happen when the immune system overly interacts with proteins. Food intolerance is a condition in which the digestive system cannot digest the food, leading to discomfort. Both the first two cases cause colic in children. This can be caused by a weaning baby getting used to hard foods or a breastfed baby switching to formula.

4. Gastroesophageal reflux disease in children

Gastroesophageal reflux  is a condition in which food goes back from the stomach to the esophagus. The esophageal sphincter sits between the esophagus and stomach, preventing food from backing up from the stomach to the esophagus. The reflux of food and acid in the stomach causes irritation of the esophagus. Gagging due to gastroesophageal reflux can cause colic in your baby.

5. Baby has abdominal pain due to appendicitis

Appendicitis in babies is an acute inflammation of the large intestine located at the base of the right abdomen that causes the baby to cry nonstop.

6. Umbilical hernia

Umbilical hernia in babies is when the small intestine slips out of the abdominal cavity, causing discomfort and infection. Infants are often at risk for inguinal hernia and umbilical cord hernia.

7. Intestinal obstruction

Intestinal obstruction has two types:

Pyloric Stenosis: The pyloric muscles (under the stomach) suddenly swell, making it impossible for food to travel from the stomach to the small intestine. Babies with this condition will feel hungry all the time, but experience constant vomiting and colic. Surgery is the only way to treat this condition.

Intestinal implantation is a rare condition where one part of the intestine is inserted into another part of the intestine creating a thick fold, leading to an obstruction. Food does not pass easily because the intestinal muscles do not contract properly. The blood vessels and nerves at the fold are twisted. It can cause colic in an infant at night when the baby is breastfed before bedtime.

8. Inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel diseases are diseases that cause inflammation of the inner lining of the digestive tract, from the esophagus to the large intestine. Chronic stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea are some of the common symptoms of this problem. Colitis and Crohn 's disease are two diseases that can affect a newborn, mainly due to genetic mutations.

9. Urinary tract infections

Signs of a urinary tract infection include pain in the lower abdomen and discomfort while urinating. The reason is poor hygiene such as using dirty diapers for too long and not cleaning the groin area.

10. Constipation in a child

Constipation in children under 12 months of age is very common. Stools that stay too long in the large intestine can cause abdominal pain.

11. The child has gas

If the baby is not feeding properly, the baby can swallow a lot of air in the abdomen leading to gas.

12. Poisonous poisoning

Babies usually put everything they hold in their mouths. This causes harmful substances to enter the body causing the baby to have abdominal pain. Lead or paint in the home is dangerous for babies.

13. Sickness

While seasickness is uncommon, it can be a cause of stomach upset. Wave sickness occurs when your baby is on an airplane for the first time. Stomach pain caused by motion sickness or car with vomiting does not affect the baby's health much.

14. Too full or too hungry

Being too full or too hungry can cause a stomachache. An infant's developing body cannot stand hunger for long. In addition, too much breastfeeding leads to excess lactose.

15. Injured

Older children have a tendency to explore their surroundings so they are more likely to fall on the floor. This can lead to injury to the abdominal tissues, causing abdominal pain.

How does a baby with colic have symptoms?

Each cause of abdominal pain has its own manifestations and symptoms. However, the most common signs of colic in babies are:

The baby refuses to eat: You will see a change in the baby's drinking habits, for example, the baby pulls out the bottle while half-feeding.

Babies use their hands to rub their stomachs: Babies often do this after eating with pain or crying accompanied by.

Bend legs while expressing pain: Babies often bend their legs after eating or a few hours after eating. Each time they do that, their face often wrinkles, showing a painful feeling.

Crying out loud when touching your belly: Your baby's abdominal muscles will stretch. When they touch your stomach, your baby will cry in pain. Crying is often a baby's way of telling people that he is upset.

When do you need to see a doctor with a colic?

Here are some situations that can lead to serious illnesses, you should bring your baby to the doctor.

Babies have abdominal pain with diarrhea and high fever: Gastroenteritis is the cause of acute abdominal pain along with diarrhea. Acute infection can lead to a high fever, so bring your baby to your doctor as soon as you have these symptoms.

Abdominal pain prevents baby from eating and sleeping: A  persistent stomach pain can disrupt eating and affect the baby's sleep, but you cannot control it.

Bloating: This could be a sign of urinary retention due to an infection or injury. This is an alarming sign and you need to get your baby to the doctor quickly.

Half-consciousness and weak heart rate after abdominal pain:  Abdominal pain with diarrhea can be symptoms of severe dehydration.

What should parents do to reduce the colic of the baby?

Do not treat your baby's colic by yourself, but take him or her to the doctor. Abdominal pain in a child is not the same as an adult, so it is not possible to give a child laxative or pain relief. However, there are some simple remedies you can try first to help your baby relieve pain. If that doesn't work, take your baby to the doctor. Ways to relieve your baby's colic are:

1. Give your baby plenty of water

Giving your baby plenty of fluids is a safe way to reduce stomach upset. This method is only for babies over 6 months old or babies with colic caused by constipation. Drinking plenty of water helps your baby's stools become soft and easier to pass out.

2. Massage your baby

If the cause of your baby's colic is reflux, you can gently massage your baby. In addition, there are a number of massage oils that help relieve stomach upset. However, you must consult your doctor before using any oils to massage your baby.

3. Let your baby rest more

Give your baby more rest. Getting your baby to sleep comfortably is also effective in soothing stomach cramps. Alternatively, you can cover your baby with a soft and warm blanket on the abdomen. This will calm your baby and relieve her colic.

What should you feed your baby when he has a stomachache?

What to feed your baby depends on how the stomach ache is. You can consult your doctor about baby menu to ensure safety. Here are some foods you can give your baby with colic:

Breast milk :  Breast milk is rich in essential nutrients and plays an important role. Breast milk supports the functioning of the stomach and intestines when the baby starts to eat solid foods. In addition, breast milk also helps to metabolize the beneficial gut bacteria from mother to baby. These bacteria will help your baby have a healthy digestive system.

Vegetable juice:  If your baby is older than 6 months, you can prepare vegetable dishes for your baby to eat. Liquid food is very beneficial for the baby's stomach.

Fruit juice:  Fruit juice contains natural sugars which is an excellent source of nutrition for your baby. You can dilute it with water to make your stomach easier to digest.

Cereals:  You can give your baby porridge made from rice, barley or oats. If your baby is constipated, you can offer these foods because they contain fiber. Cereals are from rice and are gluten-free, making them easy to digest.

How to prevent the baby from colic

You can prevent colic in your baby with the following simple measures:

Clean and hygienic food preparation: Keep children away from foods that carry pathogens and contaminated water. Prepare baby food in hygienic conditions. In addition, you should also wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before preparing them.

Know which foods your baby has allergies and intolerances to: Knowing what foods are allergic to your baby is essential to avoid giving them these foods.

Breastfeed and eat properly:  Every time you feed your baby, pay attention to adjust so that the baby does not swallow too much air into the abdomen. In addition, you should also not give your baby food that is too hard because it will make it very difficult for your baby to digest.

Keep your baby's hygiene:  Germs often enter the body when a baby accidentally puts something in his mouth. Keeping the home clean and bathing your baby regularly is also very important in preventing bacteria from coming into contact with your baby.

Every baby's stomach ache can be a symptom of health problems. Ideally, you should follow the advice of your doctor and follow the precautions to protect your baby's health!