AIREEN S.
PAPA
DIANA ROSE PETILONA
What is Colic?
Colic is when a healthy baby cries or fusses
frequently for a prolonged period. If your baby
regularly cries for more than 3 hours a day, he or
she may have colic. Colic can start a few weeks
after birth. It is generally worst between 4 and 6
weeks of age. Babies usually grow out of colic by
the time they are 3 to 4 months old.
Rule of Three:
a. Crying 3-4 hours per day
b. Atleast 3 times per week
c. Within a 3 month period
What causes Colic?
 Pain or discomfort from gas or indigestion.
 A digestive system that isn’t
developed.
 Overfeeding or underfeeding.
 Sensitivity to formula or breast milk.
 Overstimulation.
 Early form of childhood migraine headache.
 Emotional reaction to fear, frustration, or
excitement.
What are the signs and symptoms of Colic?
 Crying for no obvious reason (e.g, they
aren’t hungry or need a diaper change).
 Crying around the same time each day.
Colicky babies often get fussy toward the end
of the day. But it can happen at any time.
 Clenching their fists when crying or curling
up their legs.
 Crying like they’re in pain.
 Turning bright red when crying.
Pathophysiology
The term colic derives from the Greek
word kolikos or kolon, suggesting that some
disturbance is occurring in the GI tract. Researchers
have also postulated nervous system, behavioral,
and psychologic etiologies. 
A meta-analysis indicated that colic may be a form
of migraine headache rather than, as has been
proposed, a GI condition. The analysis utilized 3
studies (891 subjects total), one of which indicated
that there is a greater likelihood of colic in infants
whose mothers have migraine headaches and the
other two of which indicated that infants with colic
are more likely to experience migraine in childhood
and adolescence. Using a pooled random effects
model in their analysis, Gelfand and colleagues
found the odds ratio for an association between
migraine and colic to be 5.6. 
Medical Management
 Allow others to care for the
fully infant. Recommend that the parents not
exhaust themselves and encourage them
to consider leaving their baby with other
caretakers for short respites.
 Follow-up. Consistent follow-up and a
sympathetic physician are the
cornerstones of management.
 Anticholinergic.  Dicyclomine
hydrochloride is an anticholinergic drug
that has been proven in clinical trials to
be effective in the treatment of colic;
however, because of serious, although
rare, adverse effects (eg, apnea,
breathing difficulty, seizures, syncope),
its use cannot be recommended.
  Diet.  Maternal low-allergens diets (ie,
low in dairy, soy, egg, peanut, wheat,
shellfish) may offer relief from
excessive crying in some infants.
Pharmacologic Management
 Simethicone. Simethicone is a perceptions; involve parents in activities
nonabsorbable medication that changes
the surface tension of gas bubbles,
allowing them to coalesce and disperse
and releasing the gas for easier
expulsion.
5s of Colic
 Herbal remedies. Herbal remedies have
been used in many cultures; the
common ingredients include
chamomilla, bitter apple, and fenugreek;
only a handful of studies of herbal
products have been conducted, and
additional studies of their safety and
efficacy are needed.
Nursing Intervention
demonstrations; allow repetition of the
information or skill.
 Improve parenting skills. Interview
parents, noting their perception of
situational and individual concerns;
educate parents regarding child growth
and development, addressing parental
with the infant that they can accomplish
successfully; recognize and provide
positive feedback for nurturing and
protective parenting behaviors.
 Swaddle the baby
 Side/Stomach Position
 Shushing
 Swinging
 Sucking

 Reduce/relieve pain. Assess pain

characteristics; acknowledge reports of
pain immediately; provide rest periods
to promote relief, sleep, and relaxation;
place infant on a position of comfort to
reduce pain.

 Educate caregivers on the

disease. Assess ability to learn or
perform desired health-related care;
determine priority of learning needs
within the overall care plan; observe and
note existing  misconceptions regarding Reference:
material to be taught; grant a calm and
peaceful environment without https://nurseslabs.com/colic/?
interruption; include the caregivers in fbclid=IwAR3cwa2TW0Ui6hYAV1_nXPhohJ67h
creating the teaching plan, beginning V5ypdC4qPcC0alIKC1943iaPpQmnd4#Medical-
with establishing objectives and goals Management
for learning at the beginning of the
https://familydoctor.org/condition/colic/
session; provide clear, thorough, and
understandable explanations and
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colic-milind