Date:    Thu, 5 Dec 2002 22:54:51 -0500
From:    cillakat <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: More Questions: GI Specialist Suggests Weaning

1) <<  Could the irritation have anything to do with collick?> "I think
colic is *usually*, almost always a
sign of a food intolerance."

The best data today indicates that about 20% of all babies in the US
have colic (fuss/cry more than 3 hours a day)and only 10-15% of them
have a food intolerance.

Forsyth in J Peds 115:521 1989 fed 17 colicky babies for 4 cycles of 4
days with Nutramigen then for 4 days back on cow's milk.  2/17 (12%)
were consistently better off dairy.  Babies may also be sensitive to
soy, nuts, citrus, wheat and shellfish.

(Also, see excellent review by Lucassen, P in Brit M J 316: 1563, 1998.)


Colic is usually a baby's way of saying she's not really ready for the
world yet and she still needs the snug holding and the rhythmic
movements and loud white noise (she experienced 24 hours/day in the
uterus) to activate her "calming reflex" and switch off her crying.


3.  Would allergies only affect her during the day?  She has always
slept
well and long at night.>>

Babies who cry from reflux or allergy usually have irritable periods at
various times throughout the day and night.  Babies who only have the
typical evening "witching hour" of crying rarely have a medical cause of
their fussiness.


<<4.  How are the symptoms of collick and allergies to dairy and soy
different?>>

The main differences are: 1) kids with allergy have fussiness at
different times of day and night , 2) they may have mucous and blood in
the stools, 3) the crying doesn't just get better after 2-3 months but
continues for many months after that, and of course  4) they get better
after a few days of elimination of the offending allergen.


<<9.  Are there other drugs for anx/dep that would not make for a fussy
baby?>>
One of the best things to do for a depressed new mom whose baby is
crying alot is to teach her how to calm her baby with the 5 S's.  It
allows her to get more sleep (exhaustion is obviously very debilitating
to depressed people) and when a mom can begin to calm her baby more
effectively it boosts her morale and feelings of self worth.

<<11. Would I see a HUGE difference in my baby when she has been on
neocate
for 3 days already?>>

Yes, in general, a baby who has a food in tolerance will show
significant improvement to her symptoms alter 3-4 days on Neocate.

Harvey Karp, MD
UCLA School of Medicine

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