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
Lump in my breast
I have noted the lump in my breast periodically appeared following breastfeeding my first child (as a result of plugged duct). I did an ultrasound, but it revealed nothing, as if everything was normal. I knead my breast periodically and feel pain at those moments. Now I am pregnant, due date is on 20th. What should I
do?? When to examine my breasts, is it possible to perform the examination during pregnancy and lactation?
...more The "lump" in the breast cannot occur after feeding, even if it was the plugged duct. You should not "knead" the breasts. If there is a problem or even if you think it is – the breast should be examined. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are not contraindications for this. Under normal conditions for pregnant women we
recommend a breast examination during 1 and 3 trimester (before childbirth). There are no contraindications for breast examination in your case. You are welcome at any convenient time for examination and advice on breastfeeding.
...more
Benign disease
I have a benign lump in one breast size of 12.0*9.9 mm. Puncture or a biopsy will be done next week. I was told by mammologist that surgery is needed. As far as I know, concerning the surgery, axillary lymph nodes are to be removed together with the tumor. I also know that in Europe lymph nodes are testes for
specific markers and only affected ones should be removed; if lymph nodes are no affected, they are not to be dissected and the surgery is minimally invasive. So what is your approach? Does it make sense to do it or you have the same methods and the same equipment?
...more If histological examination of the sample reveals fibroadenoma of basic type or tissue hyperplasia without atypia, or nodular type fibrocystic condition of the breast tissue, the question of surgical treatment should not arise. If biopsy reveals giant fibroadenoma sectoral resection is indicated, i.e. mass excision
within the healthy tissues and lymph nodes will be removed. In case of non- benign histological result, i.e. carcinoma is detected, subsequent immunohistochemical examination is required as well as a clinical oncologist and surgeon consultation; and the decision on complex treatment will be taken by case management team. With regard to the diagnosis and treatment methods in our center, each case is addressed individually. Sometimes we remove a benign area (for example, the area of hyperplasia with atypia) using the vacuum-needle technique through 3-4 mm incision. As for the surgical procedure protocols for benign breast tumors, benign simple fibroadenoma is not removed in America, Europe, Israel, etc. I would like to discuss your case with you in more details and perform some additional tests if needed, so I would be glad to see you at EMC’s Breast center.
...more
Melanoma
My mom had a mole (suspected for melanoma) removed in November 2015. Histology revealed lentigo melanoma in situ. We checked the slides back in the Netherlands, and the diagnosis was a superficial spreading melanoma of Clark 3 Т1а Beslow 0,8 stage; re-excision with capture of 1 cm of healthy skin is recommended. Is
it possible to make re-excision and subsequent histology in your hospital? If so, how soon?
...more We absolutely agree with the opinion of the European colleagues: re-excision with a wider offset is required; according to the Russian Protocol it is necessary to move 2 cm from the peripheral edge. This is for counter insurance, as lentigo-melanoma is a favorable type, and previous surgery is likely to put an end to
this story and the forecast is favorable. All the necessary manipulations for the study are possible in our Clinic; we have our own well-equipped laboratory with the possibility to ask the advice concerning the sample in Germany and Israel.
You should make an appointment with the surgeon-oncologist (Marina Bissessar) in the nearest time to conduct the diagnostic re-excision. Hope to help!
...more
A spot on the back and chest
I have a spot on the back and chest, what could it be?
A spot on the skin is one of the most common symptoms of various skin diseases. Infectious (viral, bacterial or fungal) as well as noninfectious skin including serious diseases and nevi (moles or birthmarks) can manifest as spots on the skin. You should go to the dermatologist for accurate diagnosis. The doctor will
examine you and, if necessary, a special instrument (Dermatoscope, wood lamp) will be used. A skin scraping can also be done in the lesion for microscopy, cytology or culture. A treatment will be prescribed after diagnosis.
...more 
Batkaeva Nadezhda
07 September 2016
Uterine cancer
My mom was diagnosed with the uterine cancer. She is 68 years of age and has an obesity of 4th grade (the growth of 166 cm, weight 135 kg) and hypertension. Admission to the radiology department was recommended. What should we do? As far as I know the surgery is the only method for cancer of the uterus to be removed.
Is it really so that this surgery is only possible for young and relatively healthy persons?
...more It is not quite so. We can operate on any patient, but the issue is which complications can lead to patient’s death and which of them can just delay the recovery. From the anesthesiologist’s point of view, it is a major challenge to intubate patients with 4th degree obesity; the abdominal section is also possible,
but there is a 100% risk of suture line disruption and inflammation, let alone the postoperative pneumonia, venous thrombosis, etc. There is another option such as vaginal hysterectomy which is more acceptable and relatively safe in obese patients. It is not a «treatment standard», however, as it allows not obtaining pelvic washings, but still there is a possibility of complete cure. Anesthesia remains a problem - both general and spinal. Radiation therapy without surgery is another acceptable treatment option besides vaginal hysterectomy. A chance of complete cure is still exists, but the survival rate is on average lower than in surgical treatment
...more 
Vladimir Nosov
07 September 2016
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