Expert Q&A

	By Alesia Hanson, RPh Registered Pharmacist

My baby is very colicky. Is there anything over-the-counter that I can give him that may help?

Colic is an attack of abdominal pain accompanied by crying in a baby. Sometimes the abdominal pain is caused by gas and there are some dietary changes one can make that may help resolve the problem. Be careful not to overfeed the baby and when giving juice, always dilute it first. Undiluted juice can cause excess gas.

Sometimes a breastfeeding mother?s diet may need to be altered or a formula-fed baby may need to switch to a different formula. In other babies, dietary changes have no effect. They are very sensitive and any change in their environment causes them stress that in turn causes colic.

If the colic appears to be caused by gas, one can try giving the baby Mylicon or Phazyme infant drops. It contains simethicone, which helps to make all the little gas bubbles gather together to make a big gas bubble. It sounds like it would make things worse, but bigger gas bubbles pass more easily through the digestive system.

If your child?s abdominal pain is a new, sudden symptom, he or she should be evaluated by a physician to rule out conditions more serious than colic. And it's always a good idea to check with the child?s physician before giving new medications just in case there are any contraindications."

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