Question

Discuss patient teaching in managing the Colicky Infant.

Answer 1

Colic is defined as "excessive crying.Infant with colic suffer from sudden paroxysmal intestinal cramps caused by production and accumulation of excess gas,which can cause abdominal distention and pain .Due to pain baby may cry loudly and continously.

Patient teaching:nurse should tell the parents that parents should find out the exact cause of crying as it differs from colic.do advice parents to first check for manageable causes of crying:

●Hunger – Try feeding the baby to see whether hunger is the problem. Although most young infants (younger than three months) feed every two to four hours, all babies go through periods when they will want to feed more frequently (usually during growth spurts).

●Pain – Check to see if the baby is uncomfortable because of illness or physical injury. Feel the skin to determine if the baby is overheated or too cold. Check to see if the clothing or diaper is too tight or if a hair is wrapped around a finger, toe, or the penis (called a hair tourniquet).

●Fatigue or overstimulation – Babies often cry when they become tired or overstimulated from playing or being handled. Swaddling the baby loosely, leaving room for the legs to move , offering a pacifier, or a change of scenery (such as a stroller or car ride) may help the baby to fall asleep.

●Food sensitivities – Infants can have an allergy or sensitivity to foods in their mother's diet or a component of their formula. Foods such as milk, eggs, nuts, and wheat in a mother's diet have a direct effect on the composition of her breast milk; these foods can occasionally cause food reactions and digestive problems such as abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea. Infants also can be allergic to a protein in cow's milk-based formulas or dairy products consumed by the mother (if the infant is breastfeeding); cow's milk protein allergy may cause fussiness and blood in the stools. Lactose (a type of sugar found in cow's milk) intolerance has little to no effect on the development of colic.

In colic pain excessive crying:

Educate parent to monitor the crying of child with awritten record of information so they can show it to the physician.

Teach mother positioning of infants on their abdomen and providing quite environment.

Advice mother to burpe the baby after each feeds to prevent collection of gas.

Teach regarding Dietary and feeding technique changes

Bottle-fed infants — A number of devices (nipples, bottles) have been designed to decrease the amount of air swallowed during feeding. You may try positioning your infant in a vertical (sitting up) position while feeding. You may also try a curved bottle or collapsible bag, in combination with frequent burping. These techniques can reduce the amount of air swallowed, which may reduce colic in some infant.

Some doctors suggest a trial of a different formula for one week (for bottle-fed infants). The original formula should be restarted if there is no change; low allergy (hypoallergenic) and soy-based formulas are more expensive than traditional formula and do not need to be continued if crying does not improve after a one-week trial of the new formula.

Breast-fed infants — Mothers who breastfeed may try consuming a hypoallergenic diet to reduce their infant's colic. A hypoallergenic diet eliminates potentially aggravating food groups, including milk, eggs, nuts, and wheat.

Educate parent to get extra hand in caring child as it becomes difficult and frustrating to care child .