Baby colic

Baby colic


There is no perfect definition of baby colic (also known as infant colic), but it may be described as a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or shrieks frequently without any distinguishable reason.

A colicky baby is very hard to calm down. According to its medical definition, baby colic is diagnosed if the symptoms last more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, and for more than three weeks. Baby colic affects both breastfed and formula-fed babies; girls and boys. It is more common in babies born to women who smoked during or after pregnancy. What are the causes of baby colic?

Over the decades, physicians have put forward many diverse hypotheses for colic causes and there is no unanimity about it. The theories may be roughly classified into two main categories: care-giving and physiological or disease-based explanations.
The first category includes causes associated with the way parents take care of their children. Briefly, according to some physicians, baby colic may result from the lack of physical contact between parents and their babies. The second category comprehends health associated causes. The most popular health associated colic hypothesis is abdominal pain caused by trapped gas – the thesis having been questioned by many researchers and physicians as some careful studies have revealed that the accumulation of gases may be the consequence of the intense cry and not its cause. Among other colic hypotheses there are intestinal spasms, cow’s milk protein intolerance, lactose intolerance, carbohydrate malabsorption, infantile migraine, acid reflux (gastroesophageal reflux disease, GEDR), bowel inflammation or unfavorable balance of gut microflora. Some researchers also suggest that colicky babies have divergent brain chemistry, which causes differences in their responses to stimulation.
Although in most cases colic does not mean any serious medical condition, it should always be taken seriously. Colicky babies really suffer – physically or mentally. As mentioned above, the most popular colic theory assumes gases accumulation and so the most common pharmacological therapy includes simethicone application, though its effectiveness is being questioned. As the unfavorable balance of intestinal microflora hypothesis becomes more and more popular, probiotics are gaining general recognition. Parents should know that many cases of colic, especially if they result from simple medical conditions, can be easily cured, but they always need a medical consultation.


EXERCISE. CHOOSE TRUE OR FALSE.
1. It is very hard to soothe a colicky baby.
2. Baby colic is more common in breastfed children.
3. Intestinal contractions may be one of the colic causes.
4. Simethicone is advisable in all kinds of colic attacks.
5. Probiotics are thought to be very effective in the treatment of colic.


• colic [ˈkɒlɪk] – kolka
• infant [ˈɪnfənt] – noworodek, niemowlę
• to shriek [tə ʃrik] – wrzeszczeć, piszczeć
• distinguishable [dɪˈstɪŋgwɪʃəbl] – odróżnialny, rozpoznawalny
• to put forward [tə pʊt ˈfɔrwərd] – wysuwać, proponować
• unanimity [yunəˈnɪmɪti] – jednomyślność
• roughly [rʌflɪ] – z grubsza
• to comprehend [tə komprɪ’hend] – zawierać, obejmować
• gastroesophageal [gæˈstrɒɪsɒfəˈdʒiəl] – żołądkowo-przełykowy
• bowel [ˈbaʊəl] – jelito, kiszka
• divergent [daɪˈvɜrdʒənt] – różny, rozbieżny
• simethicone [saɪˈmɛθɪkoʊn] – symetykon
• recognition [rɛkəgˈnɪʃən] – uznanie, rozpoznawanie, docenianie
• to soothe [tə suð] – łagodzić, koić, uspokajać


Correct answers: true, false, true, false, true

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