This article is from the book, The Doctors Book of Home Remedies , by The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books. To send a link and summary of this article to a friend, click here .
Modern parents have no trouble describing it today.
The baby cries, pulls his knees up to his abdomen, and appears to be in great pain. He may become gassy, then become quiet, then begin crying again. Nothing much seems to have changed over the centuries, and nothing much seems to help. Colicky babies cannot generally be quieted with feeding or a change of diapers, and episodes may last for many hours. Colic tends to be most severe at 4 to 6 weeks of age and gradually subsides by 3 to 4 months.