Colic Awareness Month is observed in March every year. Colic is when a baby that is four months old or younger, cries intensely for a prolonged period. It is a condition in babies that even the experts are still trying to figure out as there is no apparent reason for it. This condition can be difficult for the child’s parents or guardians to cope with. The good news is that colic does not last and it usually goes away on its own after four months.
History of Colic Awareness Month
The word ‘colic’ shares the same root as the word ‘colon’ and it is derived from the ancient Greek word for intestine. For thousands of years, people thought that colic was just an intestinal discomfort that infants had either from having too much stomach gas or from overeating. In past times, doctors recommended treating colic with valium, alcohol, and opium but these medications are no longer administered because of the side effects, which include death.
Colic is more common than you think; it affects 20% of all babies and despite its seeming popularity, a clear cause for this condition remains unknown. The first discovery was in 1954 where it was defined as a condition whereby a baby who is neither hungry nor sick cries for more than three hours in a day, in more than three days a week for more than three weeks.
Experts have put forward different theories regarding the cause of colic but unfortunately, there have been a lot of different opinions and the theories are not unformed. This just proves that colic is not just caused by one thing alone and it has different causative factors which include sleeping disruption, immaturity of the nervous system, food allergy, sensory overload, and hypersensitivity to the environment. Some psychosocial issues have also been recognized such as insufficient parent interaction, parental anxiety, maternal smoking, and family tension.
Colic Awareness Month timeline
Galen the Greek physician prescribes Opium to calm crying babies.
The first detailed medical description of colic occurs.
Bryan Vartabedian illustrates a book titled “Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux And The Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to-Soothe Baby.”
Cochrane conducts an extensive review on parent training programs for managing colic.
Colic Awareness Month FAQs
At what month do babies get colic?
Babies can get colic in a few weeks after birth, usually about four weeks of age.
At what age does colic disappear
Colic in babies starts to significantly decline at four months of age.
Do formula babies get colic?
Any baby can get colic, including a formula baby.
How to Observe Colic Awareness Month
Educate others about the day
Unfortunately, not everyone knows what colic is or how to recognize that a child has the condition. This means they will learn a lot from you.
Take a break
It can be very demanding taking care of a child, especially one that has colic. So give yourself a break; you are a good parent.
Do your research
Keep researching, new things are being discovered every day and they might find a permanent solution to colic one of these days. Even if the information won’t benefit you, it can benefit someone else.
5 Important Facts About Babies That Will Blow Your Mind
Newborns are short-sighted
Newborns can only see what is right in front of them, everything else is a blur.
Babies’ stomachs are very small
A newborn’s stomach is as small as hazelnut and that is why they feed so often.
Birthmarks are more common than you think
One in every three babies born has a birthmark.
Babies have more bones than adults
They are born with 300 bones while an average adult has 206 bones.
Babies are fast learners
They start learning right from the womb and immediately they come out the learning process continues.
Why Colic Awareness Month is Important
We love babies
We love babies and we want them to be happy and comfortable at all times. Colic Awareness Month will give us more insight into what could be making our babies cry so much.
It keeps us informed
We learn every day and Colic Awareness Month will keep us informed on the latest development of this condition. The knowledge could benefit us even if we don’t have children.
It increases our empathy
We would be able to understand babies more and we won’t get irritated as often when they cry. We would also have empathy for parents dealing with children that has colic.
Colic Awareness Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | March 1 | Saturday |
| 2026 | March 1 | Sunday |
| 2027 | March 1 | Monday |
| 2028 | March 1 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | March 1 | Thursday |
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