Colic in infants

Alternative names:

infantile colic

Symptoms:

• excessive crying often of sudden onset and frequently beginning about the same time every day. Attacks of crying may last minutes up to several hours
• apparent abdominal pain manifested by drawing knees to the abdomen
• irritability

Signs and tests:

A physical examination is performed to rule out other causes of similar behavior. Infants also have been studied in the hospital setting with a pH meter in the esophagus overnight. This procedure is more common in infants whose problem is thought to be from gastroesophageal reflux. The procedure measures the amount of acid refluxed from the stomach up into the esophagus