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What are the Symptoms of Colic?

It is not uncommon for babies to go through periods when they appear abnormally irritable, fussy or seemingly cry for no reason. However, if you suspect your baby is suffering from colic, compare your child's symptoms with list below. Our poll of thousands of parents illustrates the frequency of nine common signs of infants with colic. Overall, 84% reported at least 5 of the signs below.

Symptom / Sign	Frequency
1. Cries vigorously for long periods, despite efforts to console*	100%
2. Crying begins around the same time each day or night	77%
3. Symptoms begin after meal times	70%
4. Symptoms begin and end abruptly without warning	92%
5. Symptoms cease after a bowel movement or passing gas	62%
6. Baby spits up frequently**	46%
7. Shows signs of gas such as; abdominal bloating or a hard distended stomach	74%
8. During episodes; baby arches back, pulls knees to chest, clenches fists, flails arms and legs	90%
9. Baby experiences disrupted sleep patterns	83%

Notes:
* Inconsolable crying is part of the Wessel definition of colic. Thus, all colicky infants fit this criteria.
** The fact that relatively few reported excessive spit-up, which is quite common in babies anyway, suggests that reflux is not a factor in most cases of colic.

In most cases, colic is the worst pain a baby has experienced. It is usually manifested as an acute abdominal pain with intense spasmodic cramping, but since colicky babies cannot describe exactly what distresses them, it is hard for parents to know the precise cause of their distress.

Infantile colic is most common in the first few weeks to four months of an infant's life; rarely does it endure past six months of age. Pediatricians often use the "Rule of Three" to diagnose colic: "A baby that cries for three or more hours per day, at least three times per week, within a three month period".Wessel, et al., "Paroxysmal fussing in infancy." Pediatrics 1954; 14:5 421-435. About 25 percent of babies worldwide meet the official "Rule of Threes" criteria for medical diagnosis of colic.

To compare your child's symptoms to the observations of other parents or start a conversation, take our short colic symptom survey.