Colic is a word used to describe sudden attacks of severe abdominal pain and spasm. It causes inconsolable crying and distress in otherwise healthy and thriving infants under six months of age. The difference between wind and colic is the intensity and extended duration of an infants crying and distress.
Colic is characterised by reoccurring bouts of uncontrollable screaming and crying. During which your baby may draw their knees up, clench their fists, arch their backs, go red in the face, experience tummy rumbles, abdominal swelling and tightness. They may also suck desperately at their fists, giving the impression that they’re constantly hungry.
How long will the spasms last?
The abdominal spasms can last as long as 5-10 minutes, allowing your baby to settle for a short period, only to be woken again with another attack of crying and distress. These attacks continue over an extended period of time, sometimes lasting 1-4 hours. You might notice that the crying bouts happen around the same period of time each day, generally in the late afternoon or evening.