Parents often do not know how to help their baby with sudden colic attacks that occur periodically during or after feeding. The EMC pediatrician, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Maria Shilko, tells how to alleviate the condition of crumbs.
What is colic in infants?
Colic is intestinal cramps caused, as a rule, by a violation of its motor function and increased gas formation. To characterize this condition in toddlers, pediatricians use the "rule of three": colic lasts a total of about 3 hours a day, occurs at the 3rd week of life and lasts about 3 months. Parents should understand that colic in infants is not a disease, it is a temporary condition that passes by the age of four months.
The exact cause of infantile colic has not yet been established. Experts associate the phenomena of digestive discomfort in newborns with immaturity and reduced activity of enzymes that help digest and digest food.
How do I know if a child has colic?
The baby cries and screams violently, moves his legs restlessly, pulls them up to his stomach, during an attack the baby's face turns red, the stomach may be swollen due to increased gas formation. Crying occurs most often in the evening, but it can occur at any time of the day. The child is calm between attacks.
How can I help my baby?
If mom is breastfeeding:
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Limit milk and dairy products in your diet. It is enough not to use them for 8-10 days so that the mother notices an improvement in the child's condition.
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Try to avoid foods that cause flatulence and increase fermentation in the intestines: beans, peas, cabbage, radishes, grapes.
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Do not overuse caffeinated drinks (tea, coffee, Coca-Cola).
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Make sure that you are properly applying the baby to the breast. Make sure that the baby captures the entire areola of the nipple and does not swallow air.
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Let the baby empty one breast completely. If the mother changes her breast too often during feeding, the baby gets a lot of "front" milk with low fat content and rich in milk sugar – lactose. Relatively low-fat milk quickly leaves the baby's stomach and a large amount of lactose, entering the intestines, causes increased gas formation, bloating and abdominal pain.
If the child is on artificial feeding:
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Consult a pediatrician. He can choose a mixture that is easier to digest and does not cause discomfort after feeding.
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Use special bottles and anti-colic nipples that allow you to regulate the flow rate of the milk mixture, the baby will not "choke" and swallow air.
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Try to feed the baby in a calm environment.
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When diluting milk mixtures, carefully observe the dosage.
After feeding, be sure to hold the baby in an upright position so that the "excess air" comes out.
If the baby starts to scream, take him in your arms, hold his tummy to you, stroke his back. From the changed position and the increasing intra-abdominal pressure, the baby's gases will go away, and the pain will go away.
A clockwise abdominal massage with light pressure, warmth (a freshly ironed diaper on the stomach), and a gas outlet tube will help relieve colic.
A walk in a wheelchair in the fresh air and quiet pleasant music will have a calming effect.
Prevention of colic in a newborn
For the prevention of colic, special children's teas are traditionally used, containing medicinal herbs (fennel, chamomile), plant-based drug Plantex, which have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, improve digestion, and prevent the accumulation of gases.
It is important for parents to remember that functional intestinal colic is not a disease and occurs in 20% of healthy children. However, it is possible to talk about intestinal colic only if the baby is otherwise healthy, develops correctly and gains weight well.
Consult with a pediatrician. The doctor will examine the child, determine the exact cause of the baby's anxiety and give the necessary recommendations.
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Questions and answers
How to lose weight correctly
I am 53 years old, my weigh is 116 kg. In 1988, my metabolism was probably, disturbed following the first childbirth. I gained weight, and since then I have been trying to fight with it periodically. I eat a lot of sweets however glucose is now normal and it always was. With age, my legs and back started to hurt me,
it is hard to “move” myself. I have undergone an examination in the district hospital, but nothing special was found. What tests and examinations I should bring to the doctor to get a diagnosis and treatment? Thank you!
...more Unfortunately, doctors not always can find the cause of excess weight. But this does not mean that there are ways to deal with it. Of course, it is not easy, but you definitely should try! At the first consultation it is desirable to have blood tests results, obtained no more than 6 months ago, total cholesterol,
glucose, glycated hemoglobin. Notes in the diary of blood pressure for 1-2 weeks are also important. Most likely, the doctor will arrange some additional examinations at visit, but everything is very individual and it's better to discuss all details with the doctor personally. You surely have to bring the results of previous all examinations with you.
...more 
Novikova Polina
08 September 2016
Question about ultrasound
I am 36 years old. Thyroid gland ultrasound: topography: position is regular, the right lobe is enlarged W-24 mm, t-22 mm, l- 51 mm, the volume is 12.90 cm3, left lobe enlarged, W -23 mm, t-23 mm, l-56 mm, volume is 14,90 cm3, isthmus thickness is 5 mm, the total volume is 27.09 cm3, alignments are even,
echostructure is inhomogenous, echogenicity is normal, focal masses are not seen, lymph nodes are not seen, conclusion; ultrasound signs of diffuse changes in the enlarged thyroid gland. TSH 2.10 mcIU/ml (normal range 0.30-4.00). The doctor prescribed Iodocomb 50/150 for 3 months. I have been taking the medicine for 2.5 months, but TG does not seem to diminish in size and I feel discomfort (it’s like a need to stretch my neck). Whether the treatment prescribed is correct? Are any additional tests needed? Should I have my thyroid gland diminished for those 2.5 months or it is too early to talk about it? Thank you!
...more It's hard to advice any treatment by correspondence. The cause of the thyroid gland enlargement is still unclear based on the results provided. The most common cause is iodine deficiency and Iodocomb treatment is appropriate in this case. Another cause is a chronic autoimmune thyroiditis which requires different
treatment. Endocrinologists at EMC will advise you and decide on the types of treatment and necessary doses.
...more 
Russ Irina
08 September 2016
Arthrosis
My left jaw started to hurt me after giving birth. The pain was accompanied by a crunch, clicks, discomfort when chewing. Arthrosis was diagnosed at local institution. What should I do?
The symptoms of pain and the crunch may occur following precipitating factors. It can be a trauma of the maxillofacial area, ENT-organs infections, sitting with mouth open for a long time when visiting the dentist, hypothermia, overload. Perhaps, pregnancy and childbirth were such a factor in your case. The treatment
goal in arthrosis is to reduce the load in temporomandibular joint. Treatment depends on the cause or the complex of causes that triggered the arthrosis. This may be due to the anatomical mismatch between the articular head size and the glenoid fossa. This also can be due to the long-term overload resulted from irregular bite and muscle imbalance. If increased tone of the masticatory muscles has led to increased abrasion of teeth, method of treatment with the restoration of the chewing surfaces and cutting edges of all teeth is optimal. But before that, splint therapy (mouth guards) is mandatory, which ensures the optimal position of the articular heads in articular fossae. Treatment is designed depending on the cause of changes in the joint. If the irregular bite is present pre-treatment by the orthodontist may be worthwhile.
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Problems with teeth
I have a huge problem with my teeth - all the teeth were treated, metalless ceramics were fixed in some places, a few teeth need to be removed. The treatment was carried out abroad, but the caries problem was beyond control, despite regular professional hygiene and specially selected tools. What range of dental
examinations, in addition to specialist’s consultation, I can count on in EMC Moscow?
...more Various dental diagnostic methods are available in our Dentistry Department: computed tomography of all teeth of both jaws, which gives a three-dimensional image and allows the doctor to more accurately diagnose; orthopantomography gives a flat image of all the teeth; the targeted x-ray tooth image. Tooth extraction
is performed surgically, mostly under local anesthesia. Diagnostic and treatment methods are determined individually by the attending doctor on consultation. Thank you for your message!
...more
How soon I may drive after LASIC?
When can I ride a car after LASIK?
Eyesight recovery is quite fast. Visual acuity is almost completely restored next morning, and most people can drive a car and get to work.
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Elias Raid
08 September 2016
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