Patient's question:
The baby is almost a month old and has been crying for no reason lately. It eats well but sleeps for only a short while before waking up and crying again. I saw online that there's something called colic in babies—is that true? Is there any way to alleviate this? The baby's crying is so pitiful.Doctor's answer:
Colic is a transient phenomenon during growth and development, primarily characterized by difficult-to-soothe irritability or crying behavior. The crying and irritability occur suddenly and then stop abruptly, reappearing more than 3 hours per day, persisting for ≥3 days per week, and lasting for more than 3 weeks. Colic typically recurs at 2 weeks of age, peaks between 6 and 7 weeks, and resolves spontaneously by 3 to 4 months of age. It may be associated with abnormal gastrointestinal motility, dysbiosis, and other factors in the child. During recurrence, abdominal massage can be performed starting from the navel and moving in a clockwise direction.