- Infantile Colic.

Infantile Colic

• The conventional definition of colic is the Wessel’s "Rule of three" which mandates an otherwise healthy baby "important word" with crying spells that occur for at least 3 h a day, 3 times a wk for 3 consecutive weeks and These infants are typically healthy and thriving well.
• The recently modified definition includes all of the following:

1.  Paroxysms of irritability, fussing or crying that occur without a cause
2. Episodes lasting 3 or more hours per day and occurring at least 3 d per week for at least 1 wk.
3. Absence of failure to thrive.

• Colic crying typically starts by 2-4weeks of age, may peak by 2 mo and resolves by 4 mo of age.
• Crying spells are more during late afternoon and evening hours.
• Bouts of crying may be associated with clenched fists, tightening of the abdomen, arching of the back, and grimacing.
• Colic crying is more often seen in preterm, small for gestational age babies, neurologically impaired children and in babies whose mothers are stressed
• Suggestive of colic: As before plus Periods of “normal/happy” behavior, No fever, Able to be soothed and Mother’s mood, symptoms of postnatal depression.
• Colic is a diagnosis of exclusion in well-appearing patients in which organic causes have been excluded.