You are in Parenting and Pregnancy . Children who suffered from colic as infants seem to have no long-term complications, but they may be more likely to pitch temper tantrums later in childhood, say researchers from Sweden. Their study, published in the journal Acta Paediatrica , looked at 50 children who had colic, along with 100 who didn't. Canivet works in the department of community medicine at University Hospital in Lund. Scientists say that the average infant cries two to three hours per day.
Colicky babies cry more often than that, sometimes well in excess of four hours.
In most cases, colic begins within the first three weeks of life and can continue up to 12 weeks or longer. It usually erupts at the same time each day, commonly in the late afternoon or early evening. No amount of handling, cuddling, or soothing seems to calm a baby with colic. There is no real treatment for colic, although physicians may recommend supportive therapies for parents. The AAP notes that other than the obvious distress they're in, colicky babies are otherwise happy and healthy.