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Colic - infantile - Management
Overview of management
- Infantile colic is defined as repeated episodes of excessive and inconsolable crying in an infant that otherwise appears to be healthy and thriving.
- Offer support and reassurance to parents.
- Soothing strategies that may help some babies include:
- Holding the baby through the crying episode.
- Gentle motion (e.g. a walk in the pram or a ride in the car).
- 'White noise' (e.g. vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, running water).
- Bathing in a warm bath.
- Encourage parents to look after their own well-being by arranging to take a break, resting when the baby is asleep, and seeking peer support.
- If parents still feel unable to cope despite advice and reassurance consider the following options:
- A 1-week trial of simeticone drops (breastfed or bottle-fed).
- A 1-week trial of exclusion of cows milk protein:
- Breastfed babies: 1-week trial of dairy-free diet for the mother.
- Bottle-fed babies: 1-week trial of hypoallergenic formula.
- A 1-week trial of lactase drops (off-licence use) (breastfed or bottle-fed).
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